Meet me at the Playground!
by crescent-moon-demon
Summary: It started with one day where he couldn't watch his son, and so left him in the protection of the Academy's chunnin. Suddenly his five-year old wants to go to the playground there everyday. SasuNaru, fluff, Over-protective Yondy
1. A Beginning

**C.M.D: THIS AN AU -ALTERNATE UNIVERSE!! That means we've got the Naruto characters but the storyline doesn't follow Masashi Kishimoto's. K? Good... now read.**

Big, watery eyes glared before him, pouting up at the man standing beside him.

"I dun wanna!," he whined, crossing his arms over his chest.

The man sighed, squatting down and patting the child's blonde spikes. "Naru... it's not so bad. You'll make friends, you'll see," he assured.

"Dun care," the boy pouted, face scrunching up as his eyes began to tear. "I no want you ta work. Stay an' play wit me, daddy!," he pleaded, gripping onto his dad's robes.

Minato felt his heart clench as his son buried his face into his side, tiny fists clenched in his clothes. He picked the five year-old up, straightening up. "Naruto," he spoke gently. "Daddy can't stay and play. He's got to go be Hokage now. That's why you're going to play here, with all the other children."

The little Kyuubi-vessel shook his head, not bringing his face out of the Yondaime's shoulder. Again, Minato sighed, feeling slighty guilty as he bent down, placing the clinging child onto the ground.

"I'm sorry, Naru, but I really have to go," the man said, prying off the tiny fingers. "Don't cry, okay. If you really need me, you can talk to one of the Chunnin at the school. I won't be too far," he finished, running his fingers through the boy's spikes.

Naruto glared down at the ground, reaching up and wiping his fist and arm across his eyes. "'Kay," he mumbled.

Minato smiled, kissing the child's forehead. "Just be brave Naru. You want to be Hokage like daddy, right?"

The little boy nodded, lifting his head up. His big cerulean orbs burned with determination. "I be brave, then I be Hokagy!"

Yondaime chuckled, getting back up, and turning to the playground. He placed his palm on the child's back, leading him toward the school's playground. The man could see that the blonde demon-container was suddenly shy all over again, dragging his feet as the pair walked toward the other children.

In truth, he rather not leave his son at the Academy's playground. But he had duties to attend to, and he couldn't find anyone else on short notice to watch over the little boy. Sometimes it was hard being Hokage.

Father and son finally came to a stop, a few feet away from the other children. A brown-haired chunnin spotted them, and stepped over to greet them. "Good morning Yondaime."

"Good morning to you, Iruka," Minato replied, smiling at the Academy teacher.

"So...this is little Naruto who will be joining us today?," the brunette asked, bending down to look at the blonde boy. "Hello Naruto. How are you?"

The child looked up at the man, smiling brightly at the teacher. "I fine," he chirped. The Kyuubi-vessel really liked the brown-haired sensei.

The blonde Hokage smiled at the interaction, removing his hand from his son's shoulders. "Alright, it's time for me to go. I leave him in your care, Umino," Minato stated. He squatted down again, looking Naruto in the eye. "Daddy's got to go to work now. Will you be okay with Iruka-sensei, Naru?"

The boy nodded, back to his old cheerful self. Yondaime smiled, kissing his giggling son on the crown of his head. He got up, waving goodbye to the fox-container and scarred teacher, heading off to Hokage tower.

* * *

Naruto wandered about the playground, watching as the other children ran about, all sorted into their own little groups. After his father left, Iruka-sensei had to go back to watching the other kids. He encouraged the blonde to go find some of the others to play with.

Eager to make some friends, Naruto had bounded off into the thicker part of the playground, walking about. All the other children though we're a bit taller than him. Were they older?

There was a boy with a puppy, swinging about on the monkey bars with a chubby child, and another brown-haired boy who had his hair pulled into a ponytail sleeping against the jungle gym. They looked like fun, so Naruto padded over to them.

"Hi! You play with me?"

Kiba stopped his swinging, looking down at the voice that had spoken. He saw a small blonde boy, chubby cheeks stretched in a smile as the kid looked up at him. The Inuzuka sniffed, letting go and landing on the ground.

"And who are you?," he asked.

"I Naruto," the boy replied, a little thumb pressing into his chest as he indicated who he was. "I gonna be Hokagy when I grow up!"

Chouji, munching on his chips, waved at the blonde. "Hello, Naruto. I'm Chouji. That's Shikamaru," he pointed at the napping Nara.

Kiba rounded on the fat kid, cheeks puffed out in irritation. "Don't talk to him, Chouji. You'll only make him stay."

The snacking boy swallowed his mouthful. "Kiba, Iruka-sensei says we should be nice to others," he chastised.

Shikamaru shifted in his sleep, cracking open one eye and looking to see what all the noise was all about. His dark orb spotted the strange blonde child, and he sighed. "Troublesome," he muttered, closing his eye again.

Kiba heard what his friend said, and he nodded his head in agreement.

"Can I pet your puppy?," Naruto piped up, trying to reach out and touch the out-of-distance Akamaru.

The Inuzuka spun back around, glaring at the smaller boy. "Don't touch Akamaru," he growled. "Go away, we don't want to play with you!"

The Uzumaki flinched, pulling his hand back to his side. There was a spark of anger in his chest. "Why not?!"

Kiba snorted, pushing the blonde to the ground. Tears sprung to the younger boy's eyes. "'Cause, we don't play with babies. And babies can't be Hokage, anyways!," he added.

Naruto sniffed, scrambling to his feet and running away from the trio. Kiba snickered, climbing back onto the monkey bars. Chouji watched the blonde disappear, frowning as he looked up at the swinging Inuzuka. "You shouldn't have been so mean, Kiba."

The brunette shrugged, Akamaru peering over his shoulder.

* * *

His little legs carried him all the way to playground's edge, where a forest lined the back, before he fell to his knees at the base of an oak. His back faced the playground, because he couldn't bear to look at the other happy children.

Big, fat tears tracked down Naruto's cheeks, the little boy choking on his sobs as he tried to fight off his tears. He was upset, angry and his elbow hurt from the scrape that he got from the fall.

"What are you crying for?"

The blonde flinched at the sudden question, keeping his head down. If it was a chunnin, they'd tell his daddy that he got hurt and then he probably wouldn't be able to come back.

"Ay...I-i not crying," he mumbled out, wiping at his eyes with his arm. He sniffed loudly, sucking back up the stream of boogies that had began to slip out of his nose.

The person said nothing, stepping forward so that Naruto could see the other person's feet. They didn't look like adult feet.

"Liar," came the voice again.

Naruto pouted, snapping his head up and glaring at the other child. "Shut up!," he hissed.

The taller boy looked down at him, his expression blank. "Hn," he replied.

Sasuke continued to look down at the little blonde boy, his mind partially wondering why a kid so young was at the Academy's playground and not with his parents. His obsidian eyes caught the scrape on the child's elbow and he nearly snorted at the predictable sight.

"You're such a dobe. Crying over a scraped elbow."

The blue-eyed boy pouted more, his fingers fisting the grass in front of him. "I'd have no scrape if that big meanie not pushed me!," he yelled. "He say I not be Hokagy 'cause I a baby. But I not!"

Here, the Uchiha actually snorted. Naruto kept his pout, refusing to respond to the snort. Sasuke looked back down at him, before walking away, back behind the oak. He had been sitting there before, enjoying his solitude when he had heard the smaller boy crying.

He sat down again, resting against the wood of the tree. He hated recesses at school. It took away time from training and learning new ninjutsu. Naruto watched the boy walk around the back of the tree, getting to his own feet and trailing after the dark-haired child.

Sasuke looked at him as he came around the side of the tree, coal eyes narrowing in irritation when the blonde seated himself beside the boy. "Go away," the raven demanded.

Naruto flinched at the command, but shook his head. He was determined not to be pushed down again, he was going to make friends with this boy whether he wanted to or not.

The Uchiha scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. He refused to fight with the younger child. For a while, everything was quiet between them.

"Hey, what your name?," Naruto asked. He was getting bored not doing anything.

Sasuke didn't respond. The blonde frowned, and began to poke the raven's cheek.

"Stop that," the Uchiha growled. Naruto shook his head again.

"No. Not 'til you tell me."

For a minute, Sasuke put up with the prodding finger before he decided that he should just answer the brat. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto paused mid-poke as the raven replied, before grinning in delight. "I is Uzumaki-"

"Naruto!!"

The blonde child jumped as his name was yelled, crawling to the side of the tree, spotting his father with Iruka-sensei. "Daddy's back!," he cried happily.

He jumped to his feet, and was about to run to the Yondaime when he remembered about the Uchiha boy, who was still sitting. The blonde turned around, cocking his head at the raven.

"'Suke... I going home now."

Sasuke shrugged. He didn't really care. Naruto waited, but the black-headed child wouldn't say goodbye. The little blonde felt disappointed, but he quickly snuffed the feeling out. "Bye, 'Suke. I come back so we can play tomorrow."

Then he ran out from the forest, and into his daddy's waiting arms. Sasuke peeked out from behind the tree to see where the Uzumaki had gone, only to find him in the arms of the Yondaime. They were laughing as they walked away from the playground.

_'They_ _look_ _alike.'_ Sasuke sat back down in the grass, laying against the frame of the tree. He waited earnestly for the bell to ring.

**C.M.D: Is this random? You bet it is! Do I care? Not really!  
I love reading about chibi Naruto and Sasuke (tho there aren't alot of these fics), and I like a little fluff now and then. So that plus boredom equals... A new fanfic idea!  
...this shall be updated whenever I feel like it. So no promises ok?  
Review and tell me your thoughts! Or you can yell at me for not working on my other fics...either one works.**


	2. Ci, Ci, My Playmate

**C.M.D: Thank you Shirilyle, KyleQ, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, SkyglazingMaro, Kai, xNetsux, and Mikunikuetu for reviewing! And virtual cookies for everyone who read!**

**Ci, Ci, My Playmate...**

"Park! PARK! **PARK!!**"

Kakashi sighed, pressing his palms to his ears as he tried to block out the last screech. It did nothing to get rid of the noise, as the livid blonde continued to yell at the top of his lungs. The grey-haired man focused his eye on Naruto, watching with irritated amusement as the kid's face turned a deep red.

Why, oh why, did his sensei have to ask him to babysit? Initially, he had no problem with it. Minato had always asked him to babysit whenever he was around, and those days had been quite enjoyable. Well... not entirely, Kakashi corrected, what with diapers and feeding, and then potty training... But they were definitely better than today.

Naruto had never thrown a tempertantrum before. The man didn't know if he could take this noise any longer... So maybe the kid wasn't quiet on a regular basis, but he surely wasn't as loud as he was right now. If the blonde didn't stop soon, Kakashi was certain his ears would start bleeding.

"Naru-"

"PAAAARKKKKK!!"

The jounin cringed as the child's voice reached its highest volume (at least he hoped that was the loudest Naruto could go. He'd hate to hear the vessel go any louder), before sighing. "NARUTO!," he yelled over the child, which was a feat in itself, releasing a breath of gratitude when the child actually fell silent.

The blonde glared at him, face still resembling a cherry, eyes red and watery as they focused on the man. Kakashi was tempted to chuckle, imagining his sensei wearing that face, but held it in. He didn't want to waste this precious silence.

Naruto eyes tightened into tiny little slits when the quiet dragged on a few seconds longer, the child's lips parting and his mouth opening wide. Knowing exactly what was going to happen next, Kakashi sprang up out of his seat and rushed to the boy.

"Okay, okay!!," he relented, panic highlighting his tone, "We'll go to the park!"

Naruto's jaw clicked shut, big, blue eyes opening to blink up at him. "W-weally?!," Naruto gushed, his face breaking out into a huge grin before the jounin could answer. "Tank you, 'Kashi!!"

The little blonde threw himself at the grey-haired man, any evidence of his tantrum gone as he giggled merrily. Kakashi patted the child's head in response, feeling a headache coming on. Naruto may be cute and a joyful kid, but Kami have mercy on the poor soul who pissed the young Uzumaki off.

"Alright, let's get going," Kakashi said.

* * *

"Wait! No 'Kashi, not that way!"

Kakashi paused in his stride, trying to twist his head to look up at the child sitting on his shoulders who was currently tugging at his hair. "What do you mean, Naru?," he asked, reaching up and removing the blonde's fingers. "Aren't we going to the park?"

Naruto leaned down some, his small hands balancing him. "Not that park," the blonde said. "Other one. One daddy taked me to," the kid answered.

Kakashi picked the child up off his shoulders and lowered him onto the floor. "The one your daddy took you to?," the man repeated. While the Uzumaki nodded in response, the jounin scratched at his chin, lost in thought. Minato had mentioned taking Naruto to the park, last night when he'd called. But where?

"'Kashi, hurry up!" The grey-haired man's head snapped up as a voice cried out, his one visible eye widening when he saw that Naruto had gotten all the way down the street without him noticing. The little boy was waving his arm wildly about, signaling for him to hurry up, before dashing around the corner.

"Hey-wait! Naruto!! Come back here!," Kakashi cried, bounding after the running child.

When he had finally caught up with the kid, the jounin decided to just let the blonde lead him to the park that he had wanted to go to, instead of trying to figure out exactly which park Naruto that was exactly. To his surprise, the little Uzumaki led him all the way to the back of the Academy, where there was a little park.

Naruto stopped, and looked around the empty park, frowning. Kakashi noticed, and tapped the child's shoulder. "Well, Naru? Aren't you going to go play?," he asked.

The blonde looked at him, before twisting his head around. Huffing, Naruto bolted forward. The grey-haired man watched disinterestedly, expecting the child to head over to the swing or maybe even the slide. Once again, the boy stunned him by running past the park entirely, rushing up to the side of the building. Curious, Kakashi walked off after him.

Naruto stepped on tip-toe, peering into the classroom, his eyes searching but not finding who he was looking for. Huffing, he dropped back down onto his heels and ran over to the next classroom window. Why was everyone inside? It was such a nice day, they should be out playing. Otherwise, the park would be too lonely.

The tiny Uzumaki stood again on tip-toe, pressing his face against the glass. He gasped in glee, making a fart sound as he sucked in air, spotting the person he was looking for. Sasuke sat practically sounded by girls, his eyes focused on the teacher, lowering every once in a while to make a note. So happy, Naruto was about to rap on the window to get the Uchiha's attention, when Kakashi came up beside him.

The jounin grabbed the child's hand. "Sorry, Naruto," he apologized. "Iruka-sensei would be unhappy if you disrupted his class."

Naruto was about to protest but Kakashi shook his head, tugging the boy away from the window. "Come on. If you want to play with the other children, you'll have to wait until class is over. How about we get ramen in the meantime?," he suggested. As the man expected, Naruto instantly brightened up, and suddenly it was the blonde pulling him away from the school; complaining about Kakashi being a slowpoke.

The jounin just sighed at the predictable result, his hand reaching into his back pocket for his wallet, by passing the orange book that lay in the other pocket. Oh, how he wished to open Icha Icha Paradise and just relax into the novel's pages... But if Minato found out he had been reading his porn while taking care of Naruto, his sensei would castrate him! No exaggeration.

"Definitely later," Kakashi promised himself, as he and his charge entered Ichiraku's.

* * *

Naruto bounced around the tree roots, his head twisting this way and that, as he continued to look for Sasuke. Behind him, all the other children who'd been let out for recess occupied the playground, and the blonde could hear all their shrieks and laughs of merriment. Not that he cared, Naruto told himself, he'd have lots more fun with Sasuke. ...If he could just find the Uchiha.

Pouting, the young Uzumaki pulled up to a tree and plopped down at its base. "'Suke!! Where you at?!," the little Kyuubi-container called out. There was a rustling above him, and the boy threw his head back. "'Suke!," he cried out in glee.

Up in the tree's branches, sat the black-haired child, his lips pulled in a scowl. "Dobe... would you stop yelling. I'm trying to rest."

Naruto ignored the insult, gripping at the tree's bark. "Let's play!"

"No," came the immediate reply. Naruto's smile fell, and he frowned as he tried to climb up the tree. Sasuke leaned back against the wood, ignoring the struggling child. There was a gasp, then a flump as something hit the ground, then a quiet 'ouch'.

Sasuke, cursing his curiosity, opened his eyes to see exactly what happened to the blonde. Naruto was laying on his back on the grass, his whiskered face scrunched up in frustration. The raven couldn't help but smirk. "What? Don't tell me you can't climb a simple tree? What kind of shinobi are you?," the Uchiha teased.

The demon-vessel sat up and glared at Sasuke. "I can so! I gonna climb the tree, watch!!," Naruto cried.

Sasuke's face fell back to its bored expression, the coal orbs rolling. "It's 'I'm going to climb', dobe," he corrected. The blonde just stuck his tongue out in response, and walked back up to the side of the tree. Interested, the Uchiha watched the smaller child try to get up; falling several times but still getting right back up afterwards.

Finally, panting with the exertion, the Uzumaki got up to the tree branch that Sasuke was sitting on. "S-see. I do it!," Naruto grinned, pulling his little body onto the limb. Sasuke said nothing in response. All of a sudden, there was the ringing of a bell.

The Uchiha jolted at the sound, glancing at the blonde momentarily, before leaping off the branch and to the ground below. "Ah, wha!? 'Suke, where you going?," Naruto asked, scrambling to get back down. It was harder than getting up.

"It's time for class. Recess is over," Sasuke replied simply. Naruto finally managed to get down, falling, and hurried back onto his feet and chasing after the leaving Uchiha.

"Can I come?," the Uzumaki asked. The raven scoffed at the stupid question, fixing the blonde with one eye.

"Of course not," he answered. "You don't even go to school, do you?" Naruto thought about, then shook his head. He didn't think he went to school. "There you go," Sasuke said.

The fox-child scrunched his brow in confusion. "When do I go to school, 'Suke?"

Sasuke stopped sighing. Naruto looked around them now. They had gotten close to the school now, just a few feet away from the doors. The last remaining children were walking into the building. The Uchiha turned around and faced the boy, leaning down a bit to be eye-level with the blonde. "Listen, I've got class now. So quit bugging me, and stop coming to 'play' with me. Ask your dad if you want to know about school."

The black-headed boy spun on his heel, and entered the school, without even a farewell. Naruto stood there for a moment, before he huffed, and crossing his arms over his chest turned in the opposite direction. As if he was going to listen to Sasuke. He'd come to play with the Uchiha if he wanted to.

Kakashi came up to meet the child, slipping an orange book away from sight. "So did you have fun, Naru?," he asked. The blonde nodded his head, grinning broadly. "Good to hear," the jounin smiled back. "Let's go home now. Your dad's probably waiting for us."

"Okay," Naruto chirped. Kakashi walked after the bouncing boy, happy that the day was nearly over for him.

"Oh, Naru? Who was that boy?"

**C.M.D: yea, another chapter done! I just love how cute Naruto can be, with his half-perfect speech. Someone was asking me about their ages, well, I'll mention them next chapter. So...yea, review. Make me happy!**


	3. An Icecream Interlude

**C.M.D: Thanks for reviewing: Moii-san, Swordzoro, Kai, Yams41, CherryKamoku, Cluelessninja65, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, JuMiku, and SkyglazingMaro. And thanks to everyone else for who read the last two chapters, but didn't review. I love you all!**

It was late now. The sky was dark at the very tips, spreading as the sun slowly made its descent. A kitchen light was on in a cozy home, two men sitting across from each other, steam rising from the cups in front them. They were at the moment discussing something very important.

"He wanted to go the Academy?," Minato asked incredulously.

Kakashi nodded his head, pulling his mask down a little to sip at the mug of coffee his sensei had made. "Yep. Threw quite a tantrum too," the copy-nin added.

The Yondaime sat back in his chair, hands gripping his own cup. Blonde brows were furrowed in disbelief and confusion. Naruto had never thrown a tantrum before... nor did he ever want to do to the Academy. Blue eyes found there way up, staring at the ceiling. At the moment little Naru was asleep in bed, tuckered out from his day with Kakashi.

"He wanted to see one of the students," the jounin spoke up.

"Which student?," Minato demanded immediately.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi elaborated.

The blonde sucked in a breath, resting his chin in his hand, and gazing out the kitchen window. His brow was still furrowed.

Kakashi sighed, trying to keep from grinning. His sensei's protectiveness toward Naruto was highly amusing, but utterly understandable. Without a mom, the young Uzumaki only had a father to rely on, and Minato would do anything to keep Naruto safe and well. I mean, who wouldn't? Naru was so cute, everyone wanted to shelter the little gold angel.

There was only one other thing that could match in intensity the Yondaime's protectiveness, and that was the Uchihas' possessiveness. The clan was renowned for that. Well...aside from the Sharigan, of course.

It was always said that what a Uchiha wanted, they got. And they didn't share either.

Kakashi could see the problems that would arise if Sasuke grew attached to Naruto. _'But with the_ _way the brat acted this afternoon, I find that unlikely,'_ Kakashi thought to himself. Although... with Naruto being so determined to befriend the raven, it just might happen.

Kakashi began to feel a little for Itachi. If Minato didn't like whatever Sasuke did to his son, it would be the other Uchiha paying the price. _'Actually... that would be pretty funny to see,' _the jounin amended. His cup clicked against the table top as he set it down, empty, snapping his sensei out of his trance.

"Alright," Minato sighed, getting up. "I'm going to go wake Naruto up for dinner. Don't want him napping any longer, or he'll be up all night."

Kakashi nodded, getting to his feet as well. "Will you need me to babysit tomorrow?," the grey-haired shinobi asked.

Minato walked with him down the hall, to the front door. "No. Tomorrow's my day off, and I promised Naru that I'd take him to that new Ice-cream parlor that opened up down by the tower." The blonde man held the door open for Kakashi, leaning against it tiredly. "I really don't know what I'm going to do, Kakashi," Minato confessed, "Being Yondaime is important, and I love what I do... but it takes too much time away from me and my son."

The jounin sympathized with his superior. "I'm sure Naruto will be alright," Kakashi consoled. "You always show how much you love him, even if you can't always be with him. Besides, Naru knows how much it means to be Hokage. He'd never come to hate you, sensei."

Minato smiled, his posture appearing relieved. The copy-nin felt a pang of sorrow for his teacher, hiding it behind a small smile. He wasn't a father but he could only imagine the fear that plagued the older man every time he was away from his child.

"Call me anytime you need me," Kakashi said, stepping outside. The Yondaime nodded, thanking the grey-haired shinobi, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Minato carried his wiggling son, trying to keep steady as he walked, chuckling along with the little boy. "Naru...," the man playfully growled, twisting the child around so they were facing each other, "Little boys are supposed to behave themselves and stay still.

"But I a worm!," Naruto protested, smiling broadly.

The older blonde chuckled, trying to get a better grip on his squirming son so he wouldn't drop. Villagers around them were smiling at the adorable family of two. Coming up with a brilliant idea, the Yondaime turned his son around, holding the boy under his arm like a sack of potatoes.

"No fair!," the young Uzumaki whined. He kicked his legs out, arms flailing. He was unable to move now.

Minato grinned cheekily down at the child. "Worms can't eat ice-cream."

"Weally?"

"Really," Minato answered. "Only little boys get to eat ice-cream."

Naruto crossed his arms, lips forming a pout as he thought about it. "'Kay!," the tiny blonde exclaimed. "I be a boy, and get ice-cream too!"

Minato chuckled. Looking up, he saw that they had reached the ice-cream parlor. He set his son onto the ground, watching amused as Naruto ran into the shop with a loud cheer. "I want that! An' that! That too!"

Minato grinned, walking up behind the little blonde; who was running around the length of the counter. A tiny finger was waving at each of the pictures on the wall behind the counter, that displayed various frozen treats.

"How about you choose just one for today, then we'll get a different one next time," the man said, picking up the boy and holding him in his arms.

Naruto pouted, but looked down at the counter, analyzing all the different colors he could see through the glass. "Mhmm...," the Uzumaki hummed in thought. "I wan that one!" The cashier, who had been waiting patiently for them to order, looked to see where the pudgy finger pointed and grabbed a scoop.

"Do you want a normal cone, or a pink or chocolate cone," Minato asked.

Naruto turned a little, looking at his dad. "'Ormal," he answered. Minato nodded, and the cashier scooped some blue raspberry bubblegum ice-cream into a small vanilla cone. Smiling, the cashier handed the cone to the eager child, ringing up the price. Ice-cream bought, the Yondaime exited the shop, strolling around.

"Daddy...we go to the park?," came a quiet question.

Minato cocked his head at his son, wiping of a daub of ice-cream that had gotten on the boy's nose. Naruto was a somewhat messy eater. "No, not today Naru," he replied.

The child's eyes dimmed a little. "Why?"

_'Because I don't want you hanging around that Uchiha brat.'_ Minato shook his head. "Because," he answered.

Naruto's brow furrowed, the kid taking a big bite out of his cone. It was obvious that the younger blonde wasn't happy. It was quiet for a minute until... "What school?," Naruto asked this time.

The man sighed, pondering on the question. It was an okay question, it was just how he should word it in a way that his son would understand that was posing a problem. "School is... a place you go to learn, things like math, and writing, and ninjutsu."

Cerulean orbs sparkled in comprehension, a hand tugging lightly on Minato's sleeve. "Daddy go to school?"

"Once, yes," Minato answered.

"Do I go to school?," came the next question.

This one, the Yondaime had been expecting. He looked at his son, shifting the child in his arms just a little. "You're too young to go to school right now."

"I not too 'ung!," Naruto protested, chomping on the last bit of his ice-cream treat. " I 'ive!" Here, the boy held up five sticky fingers, pushing them into his dad's face to make his point. The man chuckled, planting a kiss on his son's forehead.

"You can go in the fall," Minato said. "After the summer, ok?"

Naruto nodded his head vigorously, wrapping his arms as far as they would go around his dad's neck. "I wuv you daddy!"

The Yondaime smiled, pulling his son closer and pressing his nose into small gold spikes. This little bundle meant the world to him. "I love you too, Naruto," he murmured in response.

**C.M.D: so...the third chapter! It's kind of an interlude of sorts so this chapter was a little short, but umm, next chapter will definitely include Sasuke so it will most likely be longer. Mostly I'm just happy you guys are even enjoying the story. So... that's pretty much it this time. I'll see you guys next update!! Ja!**


	4. Come out and play with me

**C.M.D: Omg, this story just seemed to get more popular with the addition of its third chapter. That means some thanks are in order. Thank you for reviewing: xxDarkKitsunexx, kellyQ, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, roboguy45, Silver Winged Firefly, cluelessninja65, Sweetness Theory, JuMiKu, skyglazingMaro, Kyorose, Moii-san, arelando, ubiko, and hentai18ancilla. Your reviews were greatly appreciated! And thanks to everyone else reading, even if you haven't reviewed. I hope you guys enjoy!!**

**_Ci, Ci, my playmate....  
Come out and play with me!_**

Black eyes stared up at the blue sky, tracking the movements of a flock of birds. Their owner continued to stare at the heavens above a few more seconds, before lowering his orbs back to the ground and to his lap. There, his hands rested, and in the child's hands were a clothe and kunai. The boy made a small noise in the back of his throat. He didn't really want to be doing this, but it was important to maintain a proper state for his tools. The black eyes wound over the area surrounding the child, taking in the sight of the well-flowered garden with its little fish pond. A bamboo stick kept tapping against the rocks outlining the pond, its spout being filled to the tip by water and tipping from the weight. The constant sound the pond-side contraption made, set a relaxing tone.

The rice-door behind the child slid open, and a male stepped outside into the backyard. "Sasuke... what are you doing?"

The boy, identified as the one and only Sasuke, turned his head. He looked the older male up and down, before pointing at the kunais and cleaner at his side. The teen noticed it, and stepped forward, standing to the child's left. "Don't you have school?," the older one asked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, focusing back on the kunai he had been previously cleaning. "My last day of school was yesterday. What about you? I thought you had a mission, _aniki_."

Itachi glanced at his baby brother, smirking. "I did," he simply answered.

"Hn," Sasuke replied. He turned his head to hide the small smirk that spread across his own lips. He expected his big brother to accomplish his mission, perfectly and quicker than anyone else. The boy felt a bit of pride, and just a little envy, that Itachi was his brother and was such a talented shinobi. "Does that mean you can help me train, then?," Sasuke asked. He didn't want to waste any free time that his nii-san might have.

"For today," Itachi said, sitting down. The teen reached over and grabbed one of his little brother's kunai. He spun it around his finger as he continued, "Yes, I'll show you some techinques."

Sasuke, who had been ready to ask his aniki the very thing that the older Uchiha answered, couldn't suppress the grin that came to his face. Finally, he would learn something new from Itachi! "Let's get going then," the small raven chirped, scooping up his kunai and getting to his feet. Itachi looked at his otouto, hiding his smirk as he too got up.

"Let's go the forest. Where you always train," Sasuke suggested.

Itachi nodded, followed after the eager child. After they had gotten some lunch from their mother (who kissed each boy, before wishing them luck on their training), the pair headed over to the forest just beyond training ground Seven. The teen caught Sasuke looking back several times, in the direction of the Academy. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity, Itachi decided to speak up.

"Are you thinking about the young Uzumaki?," he asked.

Sasuke tensed, turning around and fixing Itachi with a glare. "What are you talking about aniki?"

Itachi held in the chuckle that arose, having already anticipated the smaller raven's reaction. It was always adorable when his otouto got defensive. "I believe you know what I'm talking about little brother," he replied, stepping ahead. Sasuke paused, staring at the older Uchiha's back, before he started following again.

"Sasuke," Itachi spoke up, "I already know about little Naruto. I've been told the Yondaime's son had taken to visiting you everyday at school."

The child huffed, pulling up beside his brother. "It's not like I wanted him to. That dobe keeps coming and bothering me. He doesn't even attend school."

The pair reached their destination, and came to a stop. Itachi checked their surroundings, while Sasuke set out their things. The older male looked back at his sibling, who was rummaging through the backpack. The boy pulled out a saran-wrapped onigiri, opening it up and taking a large bite out of the rice triangle. "Otouto-kun, have you thought about being nice to Naruto?"

Sasuke swallowed, and turned to look at his brother, lips pulled into a frown. "No. Why would I want him for a friend?," the young raven asked. His tone voiced the slight betrayal he felt at his aniki's choice to continue to talk about the little blonde. And to suggest he be nice to him?!

Itachi frowned himself, rolling his arms to stretch his shoulder muscles. It would do no good to pull something during a simple training session. "Sasuke, you don't have any friends. At your age, you should at least have one. Be nice to Uzumaki," he ordered, tired of trying to convince his little brother to befriend the blonde. Sasuke turned his back to the older raven, sulking.

The older Uchiha shook his head.

* * *

Jiraiya tripped over his feet, fighting to remain upright even though he was practically jogging hunched over. His hand was clasped between two smaller ones, an eager blonde tugging him along.

"You slow, uncle 'Airya," Naruto complained. "Go 'aster!"

The sannin grunted, catching himself from falling once again. He had arrived at the village just yesterday, wanting to visit his student and do some more research on his latest novel. Instead he got hassled into babysitting his student's son, which wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't already made plans for the day.

"Naruto....where are we going?," the man asked for the sixth time. He was ignored again by the boy. Jiraiya sighed, letting himself be tugged along still. He nearly lost his sandal along the way.

It was a couple minutes later when the frog hermit started noticing the area he was in. _'Huh? The Academy....?'_ Jiraiya hummed in surprise and curiosity as Naruto pulled him past the school's gates and into the yard. His hand was released, and the old man sighed appreciatively as he was able to finally stand up straight again.

Stretching the taut muscles in his back, Jiraiya turned his head back down, eyeing the still blonde. Naruto had yet to move. The man looked over the school yard, and couldn't blame the kid for remaining still. The whole area was deathly quiet, not a single sound coming from the Academy at all. It kind of reminded him of a ghost town.

"Naru....," the sannin reached down to touch the boy's shoulder, when suddenly the blonde sprinted forward. Naruto ran all the way to the school, face pressed against the windows. Jiraiya watched the little head twist this way and that, so quickly it would have given him whiplash, before the child ran to another window.

The young Uzumaki did this twice more, before, on his way to his fourth window, he tripped and fell to the ground. The white-haired hermit waited for a second, realizing that the blonde wasn't getting up, he rushed over. He bent down, picking Naruto up and placing him on his feet. Tears tracked their way down the whiskered cheeks, a small bit of boogers starting to drip from one nostril.

"Hey, hey...," Jiraiya murmured softly. "What happened? Where does it hurt?"

Blue eyes blinked at him, but Naruto didn't reply. Instead he only cried harder, and the sannin squirmed in discomfort. What was he supposed to do? Crying children weren't his forte, and by the look of things, the blonde wasn't even hurt. He wouldn't be able to take this any longer... The child's sobs were pulling at his heart strings.

Gently, Jiraiya picked Naruto up, cradling the child in his burly arms. The change of position didn't seem to bother the boy much, who only pushed his face against the older male's chest, arms folded between them as the child continued to sob. The sannin placed a steady hand on the Uzumaki's back, rubbing soothing circles, hoping to calm the blonde down.

"It's okay Naru.... everything will be alright," the hermit whispered to the downturned head. Slowly he turned, walking away from the school. His fingers continued to massage the small of Naruto's back, his face pressed reassuringly into the blonde spikes, as they headed home.

* * *

Sasuke pulled lightly at the hem of his collar, tucking in his chin and glaring at all the girls flocking around him. He always hated the end of summer break, because that meant all the girls in the Academy would maul him, as if they had been deprived the whole two months. In a way they had, but the young Uchiha didn't want to think about that too much. It would give him nightmares.

Shifting his knapsack a little, the black-haired child stalked toward the school doors, intent on getting inside and to his new class. He got through the doors without a sitch, managing to ditch his fangirls in the process, and gave a sigh of relief. It was cooler inside, because of the air-conditioning, and the frigid breeze felt great against his warm flesh.

It was a little known fact that Uchihas weren't very fond of summer. After all, they were all pale-skinned. The summer sun only burned them with its cruel rays, and made their bodies feel like ovens. It was still quiet inside, the other children having yet to come inside. The others wouldn't bother to come in, not until the bell rang, signaling the end of summer. Then they would march with dejected faces into the Academy, dragging their feet into the classrooms and taking their seats.

Sasuke smirked at the image, stalking down the empty hallways. He passed one classroom, hearing voices coming from inside. Though he was curious, he decided to ignore them and continue on to his own class. He was turning the corner, when suddenly a voice called out his name.

"'Suke!!"

A blonde blur raced toward the raven, and Sasuke had to refrain from following his instinct and defending himself from the approaching thing. To his suprise, and horror, the blur came to a halt right in front of him, a tan face snapping up to look at him.

"'Ello, 'Suke!," Naruto chirped, bouncing on his toes.

Sasuke grimaced, refusing to greet the Uzumaki back. "What are you doing here, dobe?," he demanded. _'Just go away,'_ he thought, _'Just go_ _away.'_

Naruto pouted, but a smile soon spread across the younger child's face. "I go school now!," he answered cheerfully.

The raven nearly swallowed his tongue in shock. He resisted the urge to pull out his hair, spinning on his heel, and stomping in the opposite direction. Naruto, unfortunately, followed him. Growling under his breath, Sasuke spun back around, causing the blonde to bump into him. Naruto stepped back, rubbing at his nose, a small 'oww...' escaping him.

Looking up, Naruto removed the lollipop that he had in his mouth (when did he have that?). "So thing wrong, 'Suke?," the blonde asked.

Sasuke remained silent, glaring at the smaller boy, who seemed unaffected. Cocking his head to the side, the young Uzumaki continued to look up at the raven, waiting for an answer. Getting a little impatient, Naruto thrust his lollipop in the Uchiha's face.

"Wanna lick?"

That seemed to snap the taller boy out of his silence, for Sasuke swatted the round sweet away from him. He smirked when the lollipop fell out of unexpecting hands, smashing to sugary bits on the floor. Feeling strangely triumphant, the raven turned away from the suddenly quiet blonde, walking off to his class. Be nice to Naruto, Itachi had said. As if!

Naruto continued to stare at his shattered treat, feeling tears prick at his eyes. He glanced up, but Sasuke was gone, probably on his way to class now. Taking a shuddering breath, the blonde gazed back down at his feet. Why was Sasuke being so mean? Did he do something to make the raven hate him?

Tiny fists shook, as Naruto held them tight against his sides. Well, no matter. He was going to be Sasuke's friend! He had made that decision before the summer, and he'd follow through with it.

"Naru?"

The boy's head snapped up, and he blinked, as he looked up at his daddy. The Yondaime noticed the unshed tears, then spotted the broken lollipop. He mentally sighed, relieved. He had thought that maybe his son had run into some of the other kids -the Uchiha brat especially- and that's why he had been close to crying. But apparently, it was just because Naruto had dropped his treat.

"It's alright, Naru," Minato assured, taking the young blonde's hand. "I'll get you another one, ok? No let's head back. School's about to start."

Naruto grinned up at his dad, skipping as they headed back to his classroom, forgetting about mean Sasuke for the moment. After all, today was his first day of school. He couldn't wait to make some friends!

**C.M.D: hehe, soooo.... the fourth chapter! Naruto finally starts school, but Sasuke's still being a jerk. Oh, I wonder if the two shall ever be friends.... hehe. I was going to initially make this chapter shorter, but I figured you guys might hurt me if I left the chapter off with Naruto crying. And so, came the last bit of this update's chapter. Well, that's it for this time.  
So make sure to review guys, and make me happy! I'll try to update soon. Ja!**


	5. Bring your dollies

**C.M.D: Geez, this story just seems to get more and more popular with each chapter. Ahh, it makes me so happy! Thanks for reviewing: Great Karyee-sama XD, kellyQ, serendipity, ubiko, Emerald939, ButterflyOnna77, Shounen-Ai, hentaiancilla18, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, black suede, kai, cluelessninja65, blugirlami21, Cross- The Damned Alchemist, Moii-san, NaTsUkO-ChAn, -siarafaerie-101-miss, sans-fire, and qurie. Thanks also to everyone who reviewed to the other chapters recently, and for those who may review in the future.  
It's thanks to reviewers like you guys that I've updated so quickly.... but don't be too hard on me if I don't update as soon next chapter.**

**_Ci, Ci, my playmate  
Come out and play with me.  
Bring your dollies..._**

Naruto kicked at the grass, turning his eyes up and glaring at the sky. He was upset, and with good reason. Now, it wasn't so much school that had him down, but it was in fact recess. When the day had started out, the blonde didn't know that recess was divided, so that the first and second graders were kept away from the older kids**(1).** A stupid rule to ensure that the little ones wouldn't accidentally get hurt.

A very stupid rule, Naruto thought. Crossing his arms over his chest, the boy plopped onto the ground, leaning back against the large tree with the swing. Now he couldn't see Sasuke, and he had really been looking forward to it too! Blue eyes glanced at the other kids in his class, happily playing. The Uzumaki wanted to go over and play with them too, but the others already had set up their own little cliques and weren't quite ready to accept a new person.

Sighing, Naruto closed his eyes, refusing to cry.

"H-hello....," came a meek voice.

Jolting, Naruto turned about, staring up at a little girl, peeking at him from around the tree's base. The girl had pale skin and black hair, just like Sasuke. But her eyes, her eyes were the polar opposite of the older boy's.

"'Or eyes...," the blonde breathed, extending a finger toward the other's face. "They pretty...."

A deep red blush spread across the white cheeks, and the girl ducked out of sight. Naruto blinked in surprise, before getting up and walking around the tree. The girl eeped in shock, shuffling back a couple feet before coming to a stop. Her pearly orbs glanced up at him before they were hidden by her bangs, the blush had yet to leave her face.

For a couple seconds, both children were silent. Then the girl finally spoke up. "I-i'm H-hina-ata....," she whispered.

The blonde grinned, holding out his hand. "'Ello, Hina! I Uzumaki Naruto!!"

The Huuyga reached out timidly, just grasping the Uzumaki's fingers and shaking his hand once before letting go. "N-nice to m-meet y-you, N-naruto-kun...," she replied, quietly. It had taken her alot of courage to approach the blonde. As happy as she was that she had actually talked to him, now she was very scared. Things were moving just a little to fast for the introverted girl.

"Is you in class?," Naruto asked, as he walked out from behind the tree. Hinata followed hesitantly. She didn't want to the conversation to end just yet.

"Y-yes....," she answered, a pale hand reaching up in front of her face, a classic gesture of shyness. "I sit two rows behind you."

Naruto stopped in his tracks, looking at the raven shocked. "Weally?" He waited for the Hinata to nod. "Let be friends then!"

The Hyuuga girl looked at the blonde's beaming face, and felt her heart race. With brightly burning cheeks, she smiled in response. "O-ok."

Suddenly the boy grabbed her hand, and started tugging her along. Hinata quickened her pace to keep up. "W-where a-are we go-going?," she stuttered.

The two children came up to a window, and following Naruto's gesture, the black-haired girl peered into the classroom. The Chunnin Iruka-sensei was up at the board, teaching his class something. Her white eyes then scanned across to the students. Each of them were seated in their place, not looking quite happy. One student though, didn't seem disgruntled at all by the lesson. In fact, he seemed neutral.

"That 'Suke," Naruto said beside her. Hinata shly glanced at him, and saw that the blonde was smiling, his finger pointing at the student Hinata had just been studying. She turned to look back at the older boy as the Uzumaki continued. "I be his friend," Naruto proclaimed.

There was silence for a moment. "But... 'Suke not wan' my lolli. I 'unno why...."

The raven looked at her golden-haired companion, shocked to see such a sadden expression on the boy's face. "I-it's ok-kay, N-naruto-kun," Hinata comforted, putting a hand on his shoulder. Naruto turned to face her, his cerulean orbs brightening up considerably. He opened his mouth and-

"Uzumaki, Hyuuga! Time to go inside now!"

Both children turned away from the window, facing their sensei. The silver-haired teacher approached them, his eyebrow arched in question. "What are you two doing by the window?," he asked, suspicious.

"S-sorry M-mizuki-sen-nsei....," Hinata mumbled, bowing her head apologetically. The man looked down on them, his lips pulling into a scowl as he glanced at Naruto. The blonde blinked up at his sensei. It made him uncomfortable the way his teacher was looking at him.

"Well, whatever," Mizuki**(2)** finally said. "Let's go now." He turned around, and obligingly, the two children followed, joining their classmates back inside.

* * *

"I 'ate school," Naruto grumbled.

Kakashi, looked down at the blonde in question. He had been designated to pick up the little boy after school, since his sensei was in a meeting at the moment. Apparently, it was a good thing. Because if Minato heard that his son hated school, the man wouldn't hesitate to pull his child out. And the jounin just knew that wouldn't be a good thing.

"Why do you say that?," he asked.

The blonde jutted out his lower lip in the classic pout, eyebrows scrunching in a frown. "I no like work. An' we no allow to play," he replied.

Kakashi grinned under his mask, reaching down and ruffling the gold spikes, ignoring the small whine of protest that came from the kid. He reached into one of his vest pouches and pulled out a tootsie roll, handing it the child. He had heard from the Yondaime that Naruto's lollipop that morning had met its unfortunate end, shattered on the floor. The sight of the treat brightened the Uzumaki up a bit, before the boy became gloomy again.

Now, Hatake was confused. "What's wrong?" The blonde was supposed to be chomping on the lollipop, not staring at it so forlonly.

"'Suke no like me," came the gentle response, "He broke my lolli."

_'Oh dear,'_ Kakashi sighed, _'this just keeps on going.'_ This was starting to get just a little ridiculous, but Naruto wasn't going to give up. Uchihas had their pride and arrogance, Uzumakis had their iron-hard determination and courage. Who really knew how this would turn out. First and foremost though, came comforting the boy.

"Don't worry, Naru," he said. "I'm sure that's not the case." The child looked up at him, smiling brightly, then turning his focus to his tootsie roll. That was okay. Afterall, the jounin now had an idea how to help this little relationship along. This was going to fun, he smirked.

Looking up, Kakashi saw that they were almost home. "Soo...," he started, breaking the silence. "Make any new friends?"

"Yep!," Naruto grinned.

**C.M.D: (1) In my elementary school, they had the kindergardeners fenced off from the other kids, and we even had different recesses. For the life of me, though, I can't remember if the first graders had different recess too or if they had recess with the rest of the grades. In any case, I decided that the first and second graders in this story will have recess together, on a different time from the older grades.  
(2) Why didn't I make Iruka Naruto's teacher? Because. Sorry for everyone who hates Mizuki, but he'll be staying Naru's teacher until I decide to get rid of him.  
LOL, everyone was kind of upset with Sasuke last chapter. It was so funny reading all your reviews and hearing your thoughts, especially on our favourite raven's behaviour. Now, a couple have mentioned that Naruto acts pretty babyish for five. Let me just remind you guys that Naruto acts childish even when he's twelve and sixteen. How would you imagine he acted at five? And don't worry, I will get around to mentioning Sasuke's age. So hold tight/  
Hmm... oh, and one more thing. One reviewer asked if this would carry on to their teenage years. I will confess now, that I do hope to write about them even as they get older. Will that happen? We'll just have to wait and see....**

**Alright, now it's time to review! I'll be waiting!!**


	6. Climb up my apple tree

**C.M.D: Wow...another update after, what, two days? This has got to be my fastest update ever. Now on to the thanks. Thanks for reviewing: kellyQ, Cross- The Damned Alchemist, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, qurie, Great Karyee-Sama XD, Maximum, JuMiKu, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, catkittyneko, cluelessninja65, -siafaerie-101-miss, NaTsUkO-ChAn. Thanks for all your comments, and thanks to everyone whose added this fic to their favorites/alert lists. And thanks to people who might review or add me in the future.**

**_Ci, Ci, my playmate,  
Come out and play with me,  
Bring your dollies,  
Climb up my apple tree..._**

It had been two weeks now since school started, and Sasuke was easily slipping back into the daily routine that he had grown accustomed to. The raven worked quickly and efficiently, but the teachers noticed that there was a slight difference to the boy. He seemed almost ..._happy_. And indeed the Uchiha was, because there was a certain blonde child in the school.

Now in the beginning, Sasuke was upset that Naruto was in the same school as him. Then the black-haired child realized something. Because of the difference in their ages, Sasuke wouldn't have to see the Uzumaki at lunch recess. Even better, he wouldn't need to worry about Naruto coming to his classroom, because none of the teachers would let the blonde wander about. It was this knowledge that had Sasuke unnoticably beaming for the past couple weeks. So, he spent his day working diligently, revelling in the fact that he wouldn't have to see the blonde dobe at all.

Sasuke had just finished solving a problem on the worksheet Iruka-sensei had handed out, when he was lightly poked in the arm. He ignored the touch, moving on to the next question. Two more pokes followed, but the raven refused to acknowledge them. Sighing, Sakura turned away from him, facing Kiba on her left.

"There's some weird boy at the window," she whispered to the Inuzuka. There was a shuffle of movement as the brunette looked to the window.

"Oh, that kid....," Kiba deadpanned.

"You know him?," Sakura asked.

"No," Kiba whispered back, "He just came to the jungle gym one day before school ended. Talks all funny and stuff."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. That sounded _very_ familiar... He was just turning to the window himself, when a man yelled out from beyond the glass.

"UZUMAKI!!"

A flash of gold disappeared out of the corner of his eye, and Mizuki-sensei came into view, looking very disheveled. Iruka opened the window, poking his head out. "Mizuki? What happened?," he calmly asked.

The silver-haired man huffed, his face flushed with anger. "Uzumaki happened!," he growled, before disappearing.

Iruka blinked, closing the window with a sigh. "I'll be back," he told them, slipping out of the classroom. Immediately, the students broke out into conversation, speculating as to why Mizuki-sensei was so upset. _'So much for my good day,'_ Sasuke thought, huffing silently to himself.

_

* * *

_

_'This is boring,' _Naruto thought.

He was standing all by himself in the hallway, while the rest of his class went outside for recess. A chunnin down the hall was keeping an eye on the boy, so that he wouldn't be able to do anything. This was his punishment for making Mizuki-sensei's chalk explode. An image of his teacher's angry face popped in his head, and Naruto kicked at the floor as he continued to sulk.

_'Mizuki-sensei deserved it,'_ he concluded. He only wanted to see Sasuke but that big meanie kept him from going anywhere and forced him to do work. Who cared about numbers and stuff anyway? Heat filmed over cerulean orbs, and Naruto had to shut his eyes to keep from crying. School wasn't how he'd thought it'd be. It was boring and they didn't get to play alot. No one wanted to be his friend, except for Hinata, and though he liked playing with the Hyuuga, it wasn't enough. She wasn't Sasuke.

Naruto _really_ wanted to see Sasuke.

"What's wrong?"

The Uzumaki gasped, blue eyes snapping open. An much older boy stood infront of him, black eyes peering at him questionly. He had never even heard him approach. The blonde swallowed, bowing his head, suddenly shy.

"N-nuttin'...," he replied.

The teen continued to look at him, before he crouched until he was eye level with the boy. "You're Naruto," the stranger said. Naruto nodded his head in response, his nervousness had yet to leave him. At this level, the Uzumaki was able to study the other male better. Black eyes, black hair that was in a loose ponytail... He kind of looked like Sasuke a little, the blonde noted, and shyly he told the teen that. Pale lips quirked into a small smile.

"Is that so," the teen hummed. Again, Naruto nodded, unsure of how else to act around this person.

"I hear your lollipop was broken," the older boy said after a moment, "By Sasuke."

The child frowned a little, tucking his arms behind his back. "I 'unno why he do it," the Uzumaki confessed. His tone revealed how hurt he was, "'Aybe he 'ates me."

The raven reached out and gently patted the blonde's head. The boy looked at the other, surprised by the contact. "Many people have probably told you this already," the teen began, "But Sasuke doesn't hate you. He just doesn't like sweets."

"He no like lolli?," Naruto questioned, astounded by that fact. "What do he like?"

The teen smiled again. "He likes rice crackers," he answered.

"I got 'ice 'racker!," Naruto exclaimed. Excitedly, the boy reached into the front pocket of his shorts, pulling out an individual packet of five rice crackers. Kakashi had given it to the kid that morning, on his way to school, but Naruto couldn't figure out why. He didn't like rice crackers.

Holding it out, the Uzumaki gestured for the teen to take it. "You 'ive to 'Suke?"

The stranger chuckled under his breath, accepting the offered item. "Yes. I'll give it to him." Straightening up, the raven looked at Naruto. "I must be going now. Try not to get into any more trouble."

"'Kay!," the blonde promised.

The older male turned around, walking forward two steps before Naruto realized something. "Wh-wait! What you name?," he shouted.

The teen paused, looking over his shoulder at the boy. "Itachi. Goodbye Naruto."

* * *

It was lunchtime now for their class. Sasuke tidied up his spot, reaching down beside him to grab his backpack. His other classmates were already eating, the smell of Sakura's stirfry making him even hungrier. Anticipating the food his mother had made for him, the raven thrust a hand into black bag. He swished it back and forth, but his hand came in contact with only paper and his kunai kit. Nothing else.

Slowly, the Uchiha pulled his hand out and dropped his bag back to the side. _'I...I forgot my lunch.'_ Cold-hard realization hit the boy, as he clearly remembered back to this morning when he had run out the door, his lunch left behind on the counter. Cursing himself for his stupidity, Sasuke leaned forward on his desk, resting his chin on the desk behind his folded arms.

"Sasuke, are you hungry?," Sakura asked. She leaned over in her seat, a pretty blush on her cheeks. "I don't mind sharing," she giggled.

Sasuke made a face, which the girl didn't see. "No," he replied quickly. His stomach growled a little, and the Haruno's smile brightened.

"Sas-"

"No," he repeated, glaring at her from the corner of his eye. _'She better get a clue soon...'_

The green eyes dimmed and her smile fell, as Sakura turned back around in her seat. "O-okay...," she murmured.

Sasuke mentally sighed, glad that he was able to fend off one fangirl this time, even if it was the most pathetic one. Maybe now he'd be able to angst in peace this lunch. There was a knock at the door and Iruka-sensei got up to see who it was. He was gone for a moment, before the chunnin stepped back inside. "Sasuke, come here please," he ordered.

It suddenly got quiet in the classroom as the raven rose to his feet and walked toward the door at the front of the room. Iruka stepped out of the way and ushered the boy out into the hall. "No need to look so grim Sasuke. You're not in any trouble," the brunette assured.

Sasuke turned to his left, his eyes widening in shock. "Aniki?!"

Itachi gave a tiny smirk to the younger Uchiha, before holding out a cherry-wood bento box. "Your lunch, otouto-kun." Sasuke took his lunch without a word, a small blush of embarrasment colouring his white cheeks.

"And here...," Itachi continued, reaching into his pocket. He held out a packet of rice crackers, his smirk growing a little more as his little brother snatched for the package, the only show of the boy's delight. Popping the packet open, Sasuke grabbed one of the crackers, chomping on it immediately. It was, afterall, his favourite treat.

"Thank you nii-san," he mumbled, trying to suppress the grin that threatened to break his face. "And thank you for the rice crackers."

Itachi lovingly flicked his younger sibling on the forehead, watching amused as Sasuke only gave him a feeble glare, before returning to his treat. "I'm not the one who got the rice crackers for you, otouto-kun," Itachi said.

Sasuke paused to lick his finger. "Oh, then kaa-san did," the tiny raven replied. "Be sure to thank her for me, please?"

The older male merely rolled his eyes, before turning away. "I'll be sure to tell _Naruto_ you said 'thanks'," he called over his shoulder, turning around the corner.

Sasuke's jaw froze, the first half of his final cracker almost chewed to mulch in his mouth. The black-haired head snapped up, but his brother was already gone. Slowly, he lowered his head. Itachi had said.... that dobe had... gave him the rice crackers? The Uchiha swallowed, wincing when jagged pieces of the unchewed cracker scratched at the inside of his throat. He gazed at the empty packet and the rice cracker he had yet to finish.

Quietly, he went back inside the classroom.

* * *

Kakashi was heading down the hall, on the way to talk to Minato about this evening. He had been asked to babysit Naruto again that evening, this time until ten. Apparently, paperwork had stacked up recently and it was keeping his sensei very busy. Now he just needed to get the details on what he was supposed to do. His eyes caught movement up at the end of the hall, and looking up he saw it be one Uchiha prodigy.

He began to grin as he approached the teen. "Well?," he asked.

A smirk tugged at the stoic Itachi's lips. "He says thanks," came the discrete reply.

Kakashi's grin grew as he marched on past the teen. "Good to hear."

**C.M.D: The plot thickens! hehe, kidding. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's amazing that I was even able to write the next chapter so fast. But seriously, don't expect another update for a little while, cause I have no clue as to what I'm going to write next as of the moment. Alright... so remember to review and share with me your thoughts!  
_Kaa-san_: mother**


	7. Slide down my rainbow

**C.M.D: This fanfic's popularity just keeps growing. Well, I hope this holiday chapter can live up to the rest. Thanks for reviewing: Great Karyee-sama XD, Cross- The Damned Alchemist, ButterflyOnna77, qurie, Maximum, lightdark54, -siarafaerie-101-miss, TKM, darksone, no name, ubiko, catkittyneko, kai, cluelessninja65, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, Chaos Dragon-Fox, FallenAngel Sayu, puretsubasa. Virtual Christmas cookies to everyone who reviewed, and to those who might review in the future. **

**Ci, Ci, my playmate,  
Come out and play with me.  
Bring your dollies,  
Climb up my apple tree.  
Slide down my rainbow...**

Naruto dashed about, laughing as he ran past a clustered group of children. There were still several minutes left before the bell rang for the beginning of school, but the blonde was determined to enjoy his free time. He paused for a moment, looking back at the gates where Kakashi stood, waving at the jounin before bounding off again.

Blue eyes snapped back and forth as the tiny boy ran, landing on the person he was looking for. Grinning broadly, Naruto ran over to Hinata, wrapping his arms around her. "'Orning Hina!," he yelled, even though she was trapped in his grip.

The Hyuuga girl blushed terribly, and nodded her head in reply, her lips quivering too much for her to even form a sentence. The Uzumaki released her, only to grab her hand and pull her over to the jungle gym. The raven said nothing, but kept in pace with the blonde.

It had already become an unsaid agreement between them that they would meet each morning before school, and play at the Academy's park until the bell rang. This let Hinata spend more time with Naruto, and it let the boy burn out some of his energy. As was per usual, Naruto headed to the see-saw. In the mornings, the see-saw area was less populated, as more of the kids chose to play on the slide or swings. After getting knocked about accidentally by a couple of the older kids, Hinata had decided that maybe the two of them should play somewhere safer. Cradling a skinned-knee that day, Naruto had huffingly complied.

"Hina, you do work?," Naruto asked, as he led the raven toward their spot.

The Hyuuga lifted a hand and brushed a strand of black hair out of her eyes. "Y-yes....," she stuttered. "D-didn't y-you do yo-yours, N-naruto-kun?"

The blonde frowned, squinting as he looked back at her. "'Kashi make me do work, but I no wanna," he answered. Hinata felt a small smile tugging at her lips at the boy's reply. One, because it was cute, and two because it meant that the Uzumaki wouldn't get into trouble with Mizuki-sensei. Their teacher didn't like Naruto much since the child pranked him.

Naruto turned his head back around, to check they were heading in the right direction, when he bumped into something solid. His collision caused the Hyuuga to bump into him, and both kids were knocked back onto their bottoms.

"Watch where you're going stupid!," a voice growled.

The blonde blinked, staring up at the brunette in front of him, before it clicked what the older boy had just called him. Jumping to his feet, Naruto clenched his fists and glared up at the brown-haired boy. It was the same one that had pushed him down.

"I no stupid!"

Kiba snorted, narrowed eyes taking in the Uzumaki. It was so annoying that this kid had ran right into him, making him drop his chips on the ground and ruining his morning snack. "You are stupid. Still talking like a baby. You shouldn't even be in the Academy," the Inuzuka replied.

Naruto took a deep shuddering breath, fighting back the angry tears that were beginning to rise. He really hated this boy. "'Ose-picker!," he shouted back.

Kiba seemed to choke on his own salivia, his eyes shooting open in surprise. Akamaru popped his head from over his master's collar and growled at the blonde. "Shorty," the brunette retaliated.

"Butthead!"

"Bed-wetter!"

Naruto flung himself at the Inuzuka, intent on hurting the older boy, but a grip on his shirt kept him from going any farther.

"N-no, Naruto-kun!," Hinata cried. The blonde froze and looked behind him, surprised. He had forgotten all about the girl. The Hyuuga's brow was crinkled as she looked at him worriedly. "P-please d-don't fi-ight....," she pleaded.

The Uzumaki clenched his fists, glaring at Kiba one last time, before stepping away from the boy. The raven let go of Naruto's shirt, relieved that the blonde wasn't going to get into a fight. That would only get the Uzumaki into trouble, and the blonde was too good a boy to be getting punishment. Kiba had yet to walk off, standing in the same spot still, arms crossed over his chest in aggravation. He expected Naruto to jump at him again, and was hoping that the blonde would.

Hinata glanced at her friend, before stepping toward Kiba. "I-i'm so-orry, s-senpai," she whispered, bowing her head. A small red dust appeared on the Inuzuka's cheeks as he turned his head to the side.

"Yeah, alright," he replied, accepting the Hyuuga's apology. Akamaru peered at the black-haired girl, then at his owner. The pup yipped happily, sensing that Kiba liked the girl, which meant that he could like her too. Hinata's head snapped up when she heard the merry bark, and she smiled a tiny bit, pale orbs fixed on Akamaru.

"M-may i-I pet h-him?," she asked. The Inuzuka looked at her, reaching back and lifting his dog out of his hood. Akamaru was wiggling in his grasp, eager to get close to the Hyuuga.

"Sure," he answered.

Naruto, who had been standing off to the side, gasped in shock. "'Ey! I wanna pet puppy too!," Naruto protested. Both children looked at him, Kiba frowning in annoyance. He held Akamaru against his chest, away from the blonde's grasping fingers.

"I don't-"

"Can N-naruto-kun p-pet him to-too?," Hinata asked, interrupting the Inuzuka. Kiba, frowning still, glanced at her, then back at the Uzumaki. Naruto was holding his hands out, pouting at the brunette. Grumbling to himself, Kiba slowly held out Akamaru. He didn't mind the Hyuuga petting his dog, but he didn't want the blue-eyed baby to be touching his friend. Not like he had any other choice, the Inuzuka didn't want to disappoint the raven.

Hinata smiled shyly, reaching out and petting Akamaru's white fur. The canine rumbled in gratitude, his tail wagging. When the black-haired girl tried to pull her hand back, Akamaru leaned forward in his master's hands, licking at her pale fingers. Hinata giggled in suprise, petting the puppy one last time before dropping her hand back to her side.

"Me, me, me!," Naruto cried, leaping forward excitedly. His tan hand shot out, heading for the top of Akamaru's head. At that moment, the playground noise was split by the peeling of a sharp bell, the signal of the start of the school day. Immediately, Akamaru was pulled away from the blonde's reach.

"'Ey!"

"Sorry, loser!," Kiba taunted, grabbing his bag and jogging away from the Uzumaki. "You snooze, you lose." Akamaru barked in response, back in his spot inside Kiba's jacket. Naruto stomped his feet, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. His eyes were all warm again, and he rapidly blinked them to keep the tears from forming.

"N-naruto-kun-n...," Hinata quietly spoke up from the blonde's side, "W-we need to g-go in nn-now...." She lightly touched the Uzumaki's shoulder, and after first tugging away, he let her grab his hand and pull him into the school.

* * *

Sasuke spied the little gold-haired boy ahead of him, and not wanting to be bothered, twisted on his heel and turned down the next hallway. It meant he would most likely be late for class, but Sasuke didn't want to have to deal with fangirls, or worse, Naruto at this moment.

After finding out that the rice crackers had been from the Uzumaki, the raven had become upset that day. It angered him that his brother would trick him like that, and that the stupid blonde had managed to find a way to bug him without even leaving his class. And now, there was rice crackers in his bento every lunch. They were nothing more but a sore reminder about the stupid, snot-nosed blue-eyed boy in the first grade.

Sasuke just couldn't get Naruto. Hadn't he made it quite clear, many times now, to the blonde that he didn't want to be friends? Then why was the whiskered child still trying? The raven glanced up, spotted his class, and just as the last bell rang, slipped inside.

He sighed silently, taking his seat, dropping his bag onto the floor beside him. Resting his chin in his palm, the Uchiha stared out the window. Once again, the male's thoughts were swamped with the blonde, and Sasuke found himself getting agitated once more. There was a barely a day now where he didn't think about Naruto, to the point he was almost afraid of running into the other child, because he just didn't know what would happen. Yeah, that would be classified as paranoia. And Uchiha's were never paranoid.

Stewing to himself, Sasuke nearly growled when he heard Kiba start talking off to his far right, because Kiba's voice once again reminded him of the Uzumaki. Normally it wouldn't, but the raven had seen the Inuzuka with Naruto this morning, so there was now that whole memory linking thing going on. Speaking of this morning.... the raven's mind went to work editing his previous image of Kiba from a loud-mouth irritant, to a boisterious coward and bully. Honestly, who picked on small, weak kids younger than them? Obviously never a Uchiha. Stuff like that was just a pride killer.

Wait, where were his thoughts going? Sasuke had to restrain himself from screaming when he realized he was still busy dwelling on that bone-headed blonde when their teacher had already begun the lesson. Hurrying to catch up with the things he just missed, Sasuke swore that he would get that Uzumaki idiot out of his head soon. He didn't want to have to keep thinking about pointless things.

* * *

Kakashi tried not to sigh, but something must of shown on his masked face, because Naruto only peeked at him before bowing his head in shame. Not wanting to upset the child further, the jounin warmly patted the golden head, thanking the chunnin sitting in the desk; exiting the room with the boy following after. This had been the third time that week that Naruto had gotten a detention, and Kakashi had to wait before taking the child home.

If his sensei heard just what was happening with his son, Hatake was sure that Minato wouldn't hesitate to pull Naruto out of the Academy. And that wouldn't be good. Despite what the Yondaime's paternal feelings were, the blonde boy really needed to be in this sort of environment. It was already obvious that Naruto's development was a little behind the others. Which everyone noticed, but never did anything to change. Afterall, Minato never took any action in trying to help his child grow up, in fact the man preferred to have his son stay a baby forever.

And Kakashi couldn't blame his sensei for doing nothing. After what happened to his wife, Kushina...... The silver-haired man stopped his thoughts right there. _'It's understandable that he wants to keep Naru-chan a_ _baby forever. A baby is easier to protect....'_ Kakashi sighed out loud this time, looking down at the Uzumaki.

Naruto still had yet to raise his head, or even say a word for that matter. It was just so sad. The blonde was just so fixated on becoming Sasuke's friend, that it overwhelmed all other thoughts, and the raven's rejection only spurred the tiny boy on more. But this continous course.... it was only getting Naruto into more trouble, as the Uzumaki took things into his own hands, using pranks and the such to get near Sasuke.

_'Uchihas....,'_ Hatake huffed. That whole clan was a gene-pool of stupidity and retarded pride. Well..... Itachi wasn't so bad. But Sasuke had better wise up soon, or Kakashi was going to ditch this plan of trying to get the two boys to be friends. After all.... there was no point if in the end him and Itachi failed, and Naruto was forever marked an ignorant deliquent.

Patting the child's head again, the jounin knelt down and picked the blonde up, lifting him into the air. "Don't frown so much," he said, looking at Naruto's face. "You're going to get big ol' wrinkles like Uncle Jiraiya!" Pink lips quirked a bit, before blooming into a full-blown smile, giggles slipping through the clenched teeth. Kakashi smiled too, happy that for now, Naruto was feeling better.

**C.M.D: I realized that there isn't many people talking in this chapter, but I guess that's ok this time. I really didn't know what to write, and I needed to have something to get the story moving from point A to point B. Next chapter will definitely be 100 times better.  
So, be nice please. Afterall it is christmas. And remember to review!**


	8. And through my cellar door

**C.M.D: Yay, the first update of the New Year! Okay, moving on. There's some thank you's that need to be done. THANK YOU: hanakisa, Haruhi. Hime, Great Karyee-Sama XD, Chaos Dragon-Fox, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, cluelessninja65, FallenAngel Sayu, tea, redfoxrose, timme. I enoyed reading all your reviews. And THANKS to everyone else who read, but didn't review. I love all of you guys so much!!**

**_Ci, Ci, my playmate,  
Come out and play with me.  
Bring your dollies,  
Climb up my appletree.  
Slide down my rainbow,  
And through my cellar door...._**

"It's just not going to work!"

Itachi frowned, fingers tracing the curves of his porcelain ANBU mask. He glanced at the swirls of red painted across the mask's beaked face, before turning his gaze back to the one who had made the protest. Kakashi was seated across from him, hunched over his chair. The older male's brow was furrrowed, and even though it was concealed by his mask, his lips were obviously pulled tight with a frown. The raven shifted slightly in his chair, drawing Hatake's worried stare.

"There's not much else to do. The purpose of this plan was for us to remain unnoticed as we brought my brother and the Yondaime's son together. Our options are already limited. If we can not do this, so far in the plan, then we have run out of things to do," Itachi explained. Kakashi glowered at him, already aware of this fact, but his eyes held more concern than hate. "I understand your trepidation, Hatake-san," the teen continued. "I do not want Naruto-kun's image to be tarnished as well. But the fact of the matter is, that there isn't anything else we can really do at this stage."

The silver-haired nin straightened up in his chair, pressing his thumb and index finger to his eyes as he sighed. "Then I guess this as far as we can go...," the jounin murmured.

Kakashi rose to his feet, his shoulders sagging under an invisible weight. "That's it then. This is as far as our plan goes," he repeated.

Itachi grabbed his mask, standing up as well. His pack and sword jangled against his side with the motion. "And what will become of Naruto?," he asked. "He's an admirable child, extremely hell-bent on befriending my otouto-kun.... With our help, a friendship between the two was making little progress. Without our intervention, I can only assume that all the ground we've gained, will be lost."

The two made their way to the door, the masked man reaching for the knob, another hand coming up to rest at the back of his neck. The Uchiha waited patiently for his superior to open the door. "If a friendship has any chance of forming.....," Kakashi began, "then it's up to Naruto and Sasuke to make it. As for us... we're finished scheming. Any further action on our part might only end up ruining Naruto's stature, and I can't do that to my sensei and his son. I just can't."

The raven smirked a bit, as he slipped his mask over his face. "Our loyalties are always stronger when they lie with those we care deeply about," he paused, to make sure the mask was snug in place, before continuing. "Then I'll consider this interaction between us terminated."

Kakashi nodded, finally swinging the door open. The men stepped out. As Itachi walked past the older shinobi, he said one last thing. "Don't worry so much, Hatake-san. Naruto-kun is so much like his father and mother. He'll find a way to befriend my brother, even without our help, I'm sure. And if those two never become friends... Naruto-kun will still somehow find a way to get out of this deliquent image that is being made about him. That, is the redeeming quality of an Uzumaki: the ability to change a person's poisonous opinions on other individuals."

Hatake's visible eye widened in shock at the teen's words, before the surprise melted away, lips quirking into a smile. How strange for a Uchiha teen to be the one to comfort him, the jounin mused to himself as he watched Itachi walk away. Glad all the same for the raven's words, Kakashi turned on his own heel and headed down the hall to the Hokage's office. And who knows...maybe the boy was right. Maybe Naruto would somehow manage to accomplish things, where they had failed.

_'I can only hope so,'_ the man thought to himself, raising his hand to knock on the Hokage's door.

* * *

Hinata shuffled outside the door to the washroom, pale eyes constantly flashing up at the door then down the hall. To an adult, her fidgeting might appear that she needed to go, but in actually the Hyuuga was fine. At the moment she was supposed to be outside with the other children for recess, but instead she had lied to the chunnin doing playground duty, and told them that she needed the bathroom.

She had gotten this far, but now her little bout of courage had left her, and she was anxious about making the last half of the journey. "Poor Naruto-kun.....," she sighed softly to herself. Her friend had gotten in trouble once again today, and so was once more missing out on recess. And Hinata knew how much the Uzumaki loved recess. It was all because of their Sasuke-sempai that Naruto was even getting in trouble!

The black-haired girl blushed furiously, shocked by what she had just said within her mind, and bowed her head in shame, even though there was noone around to see her face or hear her thoughts. The Hyuuga felt her heart drop a bit in her chest, as a wave of sadness ran through her. It had taken a lot of work on her part to even approach Naruto, and even now, when the boy called her 'his friend'; she still couldn't spend time with him.

It seemed rightly unjust, in her opinion. "No.... It's not Naruto-kun's fault," the raven whispered to herself, "It's because Naruto-kun thinks alot about Sasuke-sempai. He wants to be his friend, afterall..."

Even to her ears, it sounded somewhat pathetic. Hinata ran her fingers under her eyes, warding off an tears. She already understood from the beginning that Naruto was the type of person who did big things, and reached for very high places... she just hoped that he wouldn't forget about her.

There was yip, that echoed down the silent hallway, and the Hyuuga threw her head up at the sound. Her white cheeks began to fill with colour, embarrassed, as she waved daintly to the approaching individual.

* * *

Kiba was taking some papers to one of their other teachers, as a favor to Iruka-sensei for not skipping out on class at all so far this week, when he spotted a familiar mop of hair. Or should he say, a familiar colour. Back tracing a couple steps, the brunette was overjoyed to see that the person standing by themselves in the hallway was indeed the Hyuuga heiress.

The child had been trying all week to try and spend some more time with the raven, but it just wasn't working. His friends didn't really want to hang out with the younger girl (Shikamaru said that 'females were too troublesome'. Chouji.... Chouji was too busy stuffing his face to give an actual answer) And there was that little fact that Hyuuga had a different recess from Kiba, and with that stupid blonde no less. The Inuzuka cursed the age gap between the two of them. Akamaru was squirming in his jacket by now, having caught Hinata's scent.

Grinning at the eagerness of his pup, and ignoring the fact he himself was itching to race over to the girl, Kiba pulled Akamaru from his coat and set the canine onto the ground. Immediately, the pup ran for Hinata, barking as he went. Not caring that Akamaru's calls might bring unwanted attention, the brunette too ran toward the raven.

"Hey!," he chirped, coming to a stop in front of her.

The girl shifted on her feet, cheeks pink, as she greeted him back. "H-hello se-sempai...."

Kiba twisted his head to the washroom behind them, then back at the black-headed. "Do ya have recess right now?," he asked. He crossed his fingers, and seriously hoped that the answer wasn't yes. He didn't want Hinata to leave just yet.

"M-mmhmm...," the raven nodded. She was starting to get really anxious again, but this time it wasn't because of Naruto. Being in an older student's presence was making her slightly uncomfortable.

Akamaru whined in the back of his throat. He was being ignored by the two he really liked, and he wasn't happy with it at the moment. Hinata jumped a little at the sound, and turned toward the pup. The canine grinned up at her. Smiling softly, the raven reached down and scooped Akamaru up into her arms. The dog instantly melted into her embrace, content to be held.

Kiba watched, beaming secretly to himself. He shifted on the spot, drawing the Hyuuga's attention again. "Wanna hang out for the rest of your recess? Right here?," he asked.

Hinata paused for a second, her cheeks getting darker. Her pale orbs cast about them quickly, before drawing up to the brunette. It seemed unlikely that she would be able to see Naruto now, and recess was almost over....

Slowly, she nodded her head, sharing a small smile with Kiba.

* * *

Naruto pouted in his seat, elbows propped on the desk, palms cradling his face. In front of him lay a piece of paper, the additional punishment on top of his revoked recess priviliges, his task was to finish the number of math problems on the page. But of course, the boy didn't even want to pick up his pencil.

He turned his head to the window, staring out skies that mirrored his eyes, feeling hot, angry tears rise to his orbs. Lately, the blonde had started to really hate Mizuki-sensei. The man was very mean, and to Naruto -who though was very young, still retained an uncanny sense of detail- it seemed his teacher was especially singling the Uzumaki out. It unnerved him, and angered him, when ever Mizuki-sensei had that strange look in his eyes.

Naruto turned his head back to the front, staring at the clean chalkboard. His teacher had left him a few minutes ago to go take care of some other duties before recess was over. The blonde blinked, then grinned. This was the perfect time to do some running around!

Giggling to himself, the child rose from his seat, and padded to the front of the room. The blonde came to a stop though, when his ears caught the sound of voices talking in hushed tones just beyond the classroom's doorway. Curious as to who was talking, Naruto tip-toed to the door. The door was open a crack, allowing him to peek out and listen without being caught.

It was Mizuki-sensei, and another teacher -a woman with brown hair- from down the hall. Naruto never had the woman for a teacher before, but he had seen her once or twice during playground duty for their grade. The two adults were still talking, what they were saying exactly the Uzumaki still couldn't tell. Leaning forward more, the blonde focused on what the senseis were saying.

".....just worried. I mean, without a mother....and what with his father being so busy all the time... I think Uzumaki-kun is not developing at the same rate with the other children," the woman said. "He just may fall behind."

Mizuki cocked his head to the side, sighing between clenched teeth. "You shouldn't worry so much. It's not so much his parents' fault, but Uzumaki's. The boy just won't cooperate at all with my lessons. He only pulls pranks, and keeps trying to sneak out of the class."

The woman placed a hand on her cheek. "Why does he do that, I wonder? There's got to be a reason."

"Even if there is one, it's most likely an irrrational one," Mizuki replied, shaking his head. "That child has his head in the clouds constantly. Truth be told, I find the whole fact that he's enrolled in the Academy a waste of time and effort. It's obvious the boy doesn't care for learning, and is only a distraction when the other children are being taught."

The woman nodded her head in acknowledgement. Venting a bit now, the silver-haired man continued. "He lacks obedience, patience and overall, a working memory. Uzumaki hasn't even learned proper speech yet, and he's in the first grade?!"

Releasing a frustrated growl, Mizuki fell quiet for a moment. The other teacher took that as her que to speak up. "It is indeed worrisome that the Yondaime's son can't talk properly," she agreed. "If he can't even learn to talk, then I guess it will be hard for him to even follow the curriculum."

Mizuki hmmed to himself. "My time and efforts shouldn't be wasted on such a deliquent brat...."

Naruto drew back from the doorway quickly, darting back to his seat. His eyes were all warm again, and his gut felt empty, and the boy knew he was really close to crying this time. He wanted his dad to be here, but he also didn't want that, because than the Yondaime would have to hear all those things that Mizuki-sensei said about the child. Disbelief swamped his entire being as the blonde's mind set to work, and began to piece things together.

He, he was.... stupid.... compared to the others?

And it clicked for the Uzumaki. That's why Sasuke never wanted him around, why the other kid was constantly telling him to bug off. And that also explained why other kids picked on him, or ignored him entirely. It was because... he wasn't like them.... at all.

Clenching his fists, Naruto tried to blink away the tears. Outside the classroom, there started a slight rumbling sound, indicating that some classes were coming in now from recess. He didn't care how hard he had to work, the blonde was going to talk to Sasuke again after school, and find out for sure what it was that made the raven not want to be his friend. And then he'd know. Naruto wiped at his eyes, taking a deep breath to get rid of the last of the tears, getting ready for when his class would enter.

* * *

When the bell rang, as was custom for him now, Sasuke quickly left the classroom and headed outside. He did it to avoid his fangirls, and overall, Naruto. As soon as the raven was out of the Academy doors, he dashed towards the small woods circling the school's playground. With perfect skill, the Uchiha leapt up among the tree's branches and nestled himself comfortably. He had some time still before he left, and sitting here would ensure that he wouldn't run into any irritating people.

The black-haired child slipped off his bag, placing it in his lap. Coal orbs stared at the navy blue napsack, his thoughts thinking about his lunchbox inside. Sasuke, as smart as he was, had not been fully aware of his brother's intentions when rice crackers started appearing in his lunch everyday. But the child was intelligent enough to know that something was up, now that today there was no rice crackers along with his meal. And it couldn't possibly be that Itachi simply forgot to put them in..... Itachi wasn't that kind of person, Sasuke knew that much.

_'Just what is going on,'_ the raven pondered. This curiosity was driving him a little insane, and the fact that there were no answers available to the Uchiha was more than just annoying, it was downright infuriating. He didn't like not knowing things.

Sasuke was drawn out of his reverie though, when he heard a sound of a cracking twig, turning his head down to see a little blonde head pushing through the bushes. The raven's lips pulled tight across his face as he realized that the golden mop of hair belonged to none other than Naruto. The child crossed his fingers, hoping that the other boy would keep pushing ahead, giving him time to slip away, but it seemed God had other plans today.

Uzumaki stumbled on a root, and fell to his knees, scratching the palms of his hands. With teary eyes, the blonde picked himself back up, looking at his hands and hissing when he clenched his fists. And Naruto must have noticed something, because he tossed his head back, and his eyes widened when he spotted Sasuke sitting up in the tree branches.

"'Suke!," the boy cried out happily, in his ever common mutilated speech. The whiskered child quickly brushed himself off and turned his full attention to the raven. "I look for you, an' I finded you! 'Suke, i-"

"Would you just leave me alone," Sasuke interrupted. He clenched his teeth, pushing his fingers against his temple as he released a frustrated growl. "Honestly, what is your deal? Didn't I tell you to quit bugging me?"

Naruto took a deep, shuddering breathe. "B-but...," he whimpered.

Sasuke butted in again. "No, I don't want to hear it. You're so stupid! It's no wonder no one likes you. I keep telling you things, but you never listen. I want you to go away right now, and leave me alone! Can you get that through your empty skull?"

The blonde clenched his eyes shut, tears just slipping through. "I 'ate you!," he screamed furiously at the raven, turning on the spot and running off. Sasuke pushed himself against the bark of the tree, closing his eyes, not caring enough to watch the Uzumaki leave.

"Serves him right," the Uchiha mumbled.

* * *

"Just what is going on?!," Minato demanded.

Kakashi, standing in the doorway, flinched and turned his head away from his sensei. The Yondaime stared at him, eyes wide with confusion and anger, before the man turned back around to his son. Naruto was sitting on his bed, staring blankly at both adults. The child had said not a word, and still would say nothing to this moment.

Kakashi glanced at the boy, and clenched his fists. He had gone to pick Naruto up after school, only to find out that the little Uzumaki had already left a few minutes ago. Panicking, the jounin jumped about, checking their route home and the surrounding areas. It was just a couple minutes later when he found the small blonde, banging madly on the front door of the Uzumaki household. Naruto had been crying up a storm, and when Hatake had made his presence known to the boy, Naruto began to make all manner of angry shrieks.

There was even a bruise on the grey-haired shinobi's side where the blonde's tiny fists had beaten an imprint into his flesh. If he thought he had been scared when he heard Naruto had gone home by himself, Kakashi found himself terrified at the blonde's state. No matter what he did, Naruto just kept screaming and crying, pushing or hitting things around him. There seemed to be no reason to the boy's distraught madness.

Or... maybe there was.

Only fifteen minutes before Minato came home, did Naruto finally calm down. But his tears and cries were replaced with unresponsive silence. What was he supposed to do?! At that moment, Kakashi felt like crying himself. Naruto wasn't supposed to be acting this way, and his teacher wasn't supposed to be looking like someone ripped his heart out.

"Naru?," Minato was whispering to the child. "Naru, what's wrong? Talk to me, please. Come on, speak. Naruto?"

Naruto only blinked, focusing in on his father. Still, the boy made no sound. With a choked sound, Minato plopped his head against his son's chest, wrapping his arms around the tiny frame. Not knowing what else to do, Kakashi stepped out from the doorway, and into the hall, leaving the two blondes alone.

**C.M.D: this was such a _long _chapter compared to the others. And it's sadder too... at least I think so. Oh, what shall become of poor little Naruto? You'll just have to wait and see, next update!  
Remember to REVIEW!!!!**


	9. And then we'll be best friends

**C.M.D: Jeez, last chapter was so much trouble to write, and this one was just as much of as hassle as well. I only hope that you guys like it! And let's over look the fact that this update happened pretty fast, because I know I'm really not a fast updater. Hehehe, a bad thing about my personality, but I can't help but be who I am, even if it means being a procrastinator. Anyways, time for reviews. THANK YOU: gigi, FallenAngel Sayu, Maxium, redrosefox, cluelessninja65, NaTsUkO-ChAn, shobe09, ochibi-chwan, hanakisa, roboguy45, writerlover101, Sutzina Zion, kyothefallenkit, Chaos Dragon-Fox, Great Karyee-Sama XD, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, -siarafaerie-101-miss, RasalynnLynx, Lethe Albion, Cross- The Damned Alchemist, catkittyneko, hentai18ancilla, tea, and Nayeli. I enjoyed reading you reviews so much! And thanks again to everyone else reading, who hasn't reviewed. Hope you guys enjoy!!**

**_Ci, Ci, my playmate,  
Come out and play with me.  
Bring your dollies,  
Climb up my appletree.  
Slide down my rainbow,  
And through my cellar door.  
And then we'll be best friends...._**

Noon day sunlight poured freely into a round office, silhouetting around a man seated in a large-back chair like a halo. There was a serene quiet that filled the office, the whispering of paper as sheets were moved from one pile to another. Pen scratched periodically across the documents, and the man would pause entirely to grab ahold of the wood pipe in his mouth, releasing a stream of grey smoke from out of his nose. Placing the pipe back into his mouth, the man smiled in content. This kind of snail-paced, tedious work was most enjoyable to the male.

Just as he was reaching for another sheet to go over, there was a knock at the door. Putting his pen down, the man leaned back in his chair. "Come in," he called. A second passed, before the knob turned and the door was swung open. Standing in the doorway was Minato.

"Sandaime...," the man whispered.

Sarutobi's hands had flown to the chair's arm rests as soon as the door opened, alarmed by the forlorn expression etched across his predecessor's face. Hearing the distraught tone the blonde spoke in, made the old man's fears even worst.

"Minato-kun, there's no need to be so formal. We're friends, and both carriers of the Hokage title. So please, come in, and take a seat," he replied smoothly. He didn't want to express his concern just yet, at least not until his colleague spoke first.

After being invited, the blonde man stepped inside, approaching the desk. The Sandaime watched as the younger male placed his hands in front of him, trembling fingertips just pressing against the desk's edge. Wise eyes stared up into the other's blue orbs, seeing the turmoil that weaved havoc in the once bright eyes of Konoha's Yellow Flash.

Unable to stand it any longer, Sarutobi spoke up. "What's happened?"

Minato looked him straight in the eye. "I-i ...need some time away from the office," he replied slowly, struggling to keep from choking. "I n-need to be with my son."

The Third immediately bolted from his seat, rounding the desk to grasp the blonde by the shoulders. "Naruto? What's happend to Naruto? Minato, tell me," the man urged. The Sandaime felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach, wild images of the little Uzumaki injured -or worst- running through his head. Something couldn't have happened, it just couldn't! Not after what happened with Kushina....

"Come, sit down." Sarutobi steered the unresponsive man to his empty chair, gently pushing the blonde into the seat. Like a father, the old man placed a hand on top of the gold spikes, hoping to lend some comfort to his fellow Hokage. Whether or not it worked was a question for another day, for when Minato finally opened his mouth all other thoughts left the older male's mind.

"He's not talking," came the simple reply.

Some of the Sandaime's fear melted away, only to be replaced by confusion. "Naruto isn't talking? But, why....," Sarutobi trailed off, unsure of how to word the concern in his heart. Even dazed as he was, the Yondaime was somehow able to piece together some sort of understanding to what the other man was unable to inquire.

"He doesn't talk," Minato elaborated. "He doesn't shout. He doesn't laugh. He doesn't even smile."

The fear was back again. Sarutobi removed his hand from the blonde's shoulder, gripping the back of the high-backed chair so tight that his knuckles turned white. It was like a bad dream, hearing this shining young man explain to him in hushed tones that his son, the most golden child you could possibly meet, had suddenly lost his smile. The world already seemed a little darker.

"When did this happen?," Sarutobi asked. "Who else knows?"

"Last night. Only Kakashi."

Sarutobi sighed softly to himself. "And where is the boy now?"

Minato raised his eyes a little, thrusting his chin toward the door. "He's out in the hallway with Kakashi right now. I couldn't have him leave my presence," he explained. Sarutobi nodded, turning his head to the door.

"You can come in now Hatake-kun. Naruto-kun as well," he called. The door clicked as it was once more opened, the grey-haired jounin leading in a small blonde by the hand. Old eyes crinkled sadly at the boy. The Third knelt a bit, looking at Naruto, before glancing up at Kakashi. "It's alright, Hatake-kun. You can let him go. He's not going anywhere."

The young shinobi hesitated, his one visible eye showing his apprehension, before its lid closed over the orb and Kakashi released the blonde. Naruto looked up at the jounin, turning his head back round to his dad and the Sandaime. Sarutobi was still bent over, smiling warmly at the boy. The vessel's expression was blank.

"Naruto-kun," Sarutobi began gently. "Why not come over here? I haven't seen you for a while now."

The blonde wasted no time, and padded over to the Third, letting the old man pick him up and hold him. The Sandaime grunted a little at the added weight. "My...," he laughed, "How big you've grown. Soon you'll be doing all sorts of grown-up things. Now, won't that be exciting?"

Naruto blinked his blue eyes, but said nothing. Sarutobi felt his own smile begin to fade, when none was returned. He looked at Kakashi, and Minato, shifting the blonde in his arms. "I'm sorry, Minato," Sarutobi sighed, looking straight at Naruto. The boy blinked at him, wrapping his arms around the old man's neck, laying his head on the other's shoulder for a rest. The Fourth's head snapped up at his words, eyes wide open with confusion and a hint of fear.

"I-i.... I... wha-?"

Sarutobi continued, smiling softly as he began to hear gentle snores coming from the little boy in his arms. "I'm sorry. You're the current Hokage. I may be able to attend meetings and handle paperwork from time to time in your stead, but I can't take your place, even for a little while. Only in dire emergencies may former Hokages step back into office, when the current one is unavailable to perform their duties."

"B-but... this is my son we're talking about?!," Minato protested. "This is an emergency!"

The elder shook his head, and Kakashi gripped his hands together tightly in panic. The Yondaime grit his teeth, rising out of the chair. "Wait," the Sandaime said calmly, removing a hand to hold it between him and the suddenly enraged father. "It's not as if I don't understand the situation. I do. But, replacing the current Hokage with someone else isn't my decision. It's the council's, and they will not be kind to your plea, even if it involves your son. Actually... they won't allow you to be replaced, because this problem _involves_ your son."

The words were harsh, but true, and all the occupants in the room knew it too. The blonde man sighed in resignation, falling back into the chair with defeat. Kakashi stared at his sensei, guilty. It was his fault, all of it. If he hadn't intervened, then Naruto would have kept on struggling to become Sasuke's friend from a distance, and then the child's efforts would have simply withered away without any lasting repercussions. But no, he had thought this would be a little _fun_, and now his teacher and his son were suffering because of it. The jounin bowed his head, eyes clenched shut against tears. The worst part to this whole thing, was that he didn't even have the courage to speak up and admit his part to this awry plan to his sensei. He couldn't stand being hated by the Yondaime, so he selfishly kept silent, all the while grieving over the changes in both blondes.

Sarutobi stepped to Minato's side, using his free hand to give the younger man's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "How about this," he compromised. "Since it's unlikely that you'll be able to take any time off, bring Naruto to work with you. I'll keep him company in the office's library while you work. You'll be nearby, so you won't have to worry, and Kakashi -when he's free- and myself will try to see if we can do anything for Naruto. Maybe... just maybe... we'll get him to talk again."

Hope bloomed in the other man's eyes, and the blonde canted his head to the side, thinking for a moment. The Sandaime shifted Naruto abit, the boy stirring a little but not waking up. Kakashi felt himself itching to smile at the cute scene, but there was still the little fact that they were here because of the child-vessel suddenly becoming mute. Obviously, Minato wasn't thinking about that much, because a small smile slowly made its way across his face; relief reflecting into blue orbs.

"Thank you Sarutobi-san...," he answered.

* * *

Itachi quietly shut the door to his room, staring across the nearly empty room to the window, and beyond that, to the trees outside. His expression was neutral, but for people who knew him really well and knew all the raven's little signs, they would have seen just the slightest tightness of the teen's jaw, and the ever so subtle of a furrowed brow. And then there were the black eyes, that were on the border line of bleeding blood red with fury.

With careful precision, the black-haired ANBU removed his shinobi gear, piling them neatly on his desk. His sword clinked against his arm guards, and his kunai jingled in his pack as he dropped it beside the rest of his things. In silence, Itachi changed into his civilian clothes. It was late afternoon, and soon his mother would be calling him for dinner. The teen wouldn't feel up to it... not after what Kakashi had told him this morning.

From down the hall there was the fast pitter-patter of feet, a small individual running toward his room. The Uchiha clamped his jaw tighter, knowing exactly who was racing to his room from their chakra signature. Right on cue, his door was thrown open, and Sasuke stopped in the doorway.

"Nii-san!," the boy chirped. The teen didn't bother to move, and the younger raven immediately glued himself to his brother's side. "I didn't think you'd get back from your mission so soon. Did it go well? How long will you be staying this time? Will you train me then?"

Sasuke looked up at his brother, hoping to see amusement in the other's coal orbs or even that apologetic smile, but what he saw instead made the child flinched. He slowly withdrew his arms, and took a couple steps back. The small raven continued to look up at his brother, similar eyes flicking across his brother's blank visage. "A-aniki.... w-what's wrong?"

Itachi turned his back on his sibling. "Go get washed up, Sasuke. Mom will be calling us for dinner soon, and she'll want you to be clean before you sit at the table," he replied coldly. The young Uchiha boy made a questioning sound, and a hand reached up to touch his brother, but he pulled it back quickly when his older sibling turned to face him.

Itachi was actually glaring at him!

"W-why... why are you being so mean?!," Sasuke hissed, his hand falling to his side before balling into fists. The boy felt fear curl in his gut, and also anger, from his brother's gaze. The little raven had been so excited at seeing his nii-san, but this wasn't what he had been expecting. Itachi continued to look down upon the other male, lips pulled tight with anger.

"Maybe I was wrong, I shouldn't have pushed you to befriend Uzumaki Naruto. But that doesn't mean I have to be kind to you, not after what you've done," the teen answered, his voice frigid.

"What? That stupid blonde!," Sasuke exclaimed. "That's why you're mad at me!?"

Itachi's glare remained firm, and any longer, the boy knew he would end up bawling in front of his brother. Pressing his lips together tightly, the child sniffed in disdain. "Fine," he spat, turning on his heel. He slammed the door behind him as he left, not caring anymore if it would bother his older brother.

The teen watched as his sibling stomped out of the room, fingers pressing against his eyelids after the door had been slammed closed. He was _so_ angry at Sasuke, but more so he was angry at himself. He only wanted his brother to have some friends, some other kids around his age group that his otouto-kun could relate to. Perhaps, he'd been just a little too ambitious.... and forgot Sasuke's feelings in all this.

"Dammit, Sasuke... I wish you weren't so insensitive. Now, we're all tangled up in one big mess."

* * *

Naruto picked at the scroll, carefully opening it up and scanning the words written across its white surface. Unfortunately, to the blue eyes, the words were nothing more than mere squiggles of ink. Pouting, the child wrapped the scroll back up as best as his small hands could manage, knotting the scroll's tie tight to make sure that the scroll wouldn't roll open. The blonde looked behind him, and was glad to see that the Sandaime was still fast asleep in the chair. He was in the library, adjoined with the Hokage's office, spending the whole day there like he had been for the past couple days now. At that moment, his father was in the other room, doing paperwork. The Third was supposed to be babysitting him, as the adults had agreed three days ago. Being as quiet as he could be, the boy put the scroll back onto the shelf where he had pulled it down from, before padding over to the window.

Naruto gazed out upon Konoha, cerulean orbs shifting up to Hokage mountain, where his dad's face was etched in stone alongside the three other Hokages. The boy felt a pang of sorrow in his chest, and a hand came up to wipe at any loose tears. The Uzumaki was aware of how upset he made his father, Uncle Kakashi and even Sarutobi-jii-san. They loved him very much, and he loved them too. But...

But, Naruto didn't want to disappoint them. If everyone else started talking about how stupid he was, and he became nothing more than a burden, then his family would be hurt. And he didn't want that. That's why he made a silent vow to himself not to talk, for as long as it took, until he could talk like everyone else. The hardest part was actually not speaking. When his mouth wasn't moving, then his ears were open, and he was more inclined to listen. People could learn alot if they actually listened, the blonde noticed.

The kyuubi-container only learned afterwards that being silent hurt his family alot. And for that, he was really sorry. But he was doing this for them, and himself. He'd show everyone who was unjustly mean, that he wasn't at all stupid or a baby! Naruto glanced over his shoulder again. The Third was snoozing on, slumped in his seat as he had been for the past fifteen minutes. He just wanted his family to be happy and proud of him, that's all.

Turning his head back around, the golden-haired boy stared up at the clear sky. Pink lips opened wide, and with deep concentration forced their way around the ackward shapes of words. "A-aye...i-I wh...will.... mah-mmm-mack-a....m-make it....."

**C.M.D: yeah.... not a lot of talking again, and shorter than last chapter, but what can you do? Still, things are starting to take place. Oh, I wonder what shall happen now! Hehehe... Anyways, remember to review guys and tell me your thoughts. REVIEW!!:)**


	10. Forever more, more, more!

**C.M.D: Sorry for not updating in a while guys! I left my mom's and spent all this time moving back and forth before finally settling down in my own place. I promise though to get back to work on my fanfics, so hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more updates and more often now too. Anyways, thanks for reviewing:redfoxrose, Chaos Dragon-Fox, Cross- The Damned Alchemist, hanakisa, Sutzina Zion, Broken Sexed Up Bloody Kitten, RasalynnLynx, ochibi-chwan, cluelessninja65, FallenAngel Sayu, Stoic-Genius, Mizuki Hikari, Fluffy, -siarafaerie-101-miss, Great Karyee-sama XD, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, NaTsUkO-ChAn, hentai18ancilla, tea, mikinyet, xXxSapphireJewelxXx, IriaMo, qurie, BloodyRoseSharpThorn, BlackyLove, Tanuki-Mara.**

**_Ci, Ci, my playmate,  
Come out and play with me.  
Bring your dollies,  
Climb up my appletree.  
Slide down my rainbow,  
And through my cellar door.  
And then we'll be best friends,  
Forever more, more, more!_**

Mikoto hummed merrily to herself, fingers working fast as she patted the freshly made rice into perfect triangles, filling their centers with pickled plum then securing the bottoms with a strip of seaweed. She put the newly made onigiri on the platter next to the other several onigiris already prepared for today's lunch. The black-haired woman heard the front door open, light footfalls echoing down the hall towards the bathroom. She smiled, starting to hum louder as she turned to the sink and washed her hands. A couple minutes later, the door was opening again, louder footsteps passing the threshold and padding into the kitchen.

Mikoto turned around as she heard the kitchen chair screech across the floor, propping her hands on her hips as she looked down at her youngest son. "Now, Sasuke-chan, you're supposed to wash your hands before coming to the table," she lectured him, a large smile still on her face.

The small raven smiled back up at her. "My hands are already clean. Besides I'll have to wash them again after eating," Sasuke argued. The Uchiha female giggled, but brought the platter of rice triangles to the table and setting it down. Instantly the child grabbed three of the onigiris, putting them on his plate.

"Eat your vegetable young man," Mikoto told him. Sasuke pouted childishly, but grabbed his chopsticks and pulled slices of radish and other chopped vegetables onto his plate alongside the onigiris. The woman smiled at her son's childish reaction. She already knew her baby boy liked vegetables, and was only acting reluctant for amusement purposes.

Mikoto went back to humming, turning her back around to her second-born, sinking her hands into the full sink and getting to work on the dirty dishes. The room was filled with the sounds of gentle lapping water; munching and a soft shuffle every now and then, so that Mikoto didn't realize that someone had entered the room until Sasuke had become quiet.

"Sweetheart," she started, turning back around. Her worry dissipated and she smiled at the new addition, standing next to the table. "Welcome home, Itachi. Take a seat and eat, honey."

The woman didn't notice the tension in the room, but in the next second Sasuke was pushing away from the table, running out of the room without a backwards glance. Itachi slowly blinked, but only pulled out a chair and sat down, placing some food onto his own plate. Mikoto gazed down at the half-eaten plate of food that her youngest son had left behind.

"Isn't he hungry?," the raven female asked herself, walking over to the table. She picked up Sasuke's abandoned plate, smile twisting into a small worried frown. "And I made today's lunch especially special. All his favorites..."

Mikoto glanced over at her older son. Itachi had his eyes closed, mechanically using his chopsticks to put food in his mouth, chewing, swallowing then repeating. "Itachi.... Do you know if Sasuke isn't feeling well?"

Black eyes opened, and gazed unblinkingly back into his mother's eyes. "No," he answered calmly. Mikoto only sighed, taking the dish to the sink and scooping the food into the trash.

"I wonder what could be wrong....," she mused out loud one final time.

* * *

Sasuke ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and locking it. He could already feel the thick, hot angry tears slipping down his cheeks. He hated his brother. As only a child could, he tried to avoid his older sibling as much as he was able to. And for the first time, the raven was thankful that Itachi was in demand for missions. The boy hiccupped, swallowing a sob.

He didn't want to be despised by his brother, but if Itachi was going to be mean to him, then Sasuke would hate his brother in return. He wasn't going to sit back and quietly take this silent abuse, not when he wasn't responsible for anything. The child wiped angrily at his eyes, stepping up to the mirror. He glared with red-rimmed orbs at his own rumpled appearance, scowling even more when his reflection shed a couple more tears.

"This is all that stupid Uzumaki's fault!," Sasuke hissed. Because of that blonde he was losing his brother. They hadn't talked in a week, hadn't trained together -the young raven couldn't even stand to eat in the same room as his sibling! He missed the short time shared between the two of them, and his despair only fueled his anger.

"I'm glad he's hurt," Sasuke continued to fume, turning on the sink taps. He splashed water on his face, rubbing at his eyes to get rid of the evidence of tears. "I hope he never comes back to school. That stupid, bawling, Hokage-baby!" The raven turned the taps off with a quick twist of his wrists, rolling his face in the towel. He yanked the door open and stomped out to the entryway. No one came out of the kitchen while he yanked his sandals back onto his feet, and with a hurt glare back down the hall, the boy left.

There was still some time before afternoon classes started, but now that his lunch had been cut short Sasuke had no option but to head back early. He couldn't exactly skip school, no matter how bad he felt. It was one thing to be stuck in a rut with his brother because of Naruto; it was another to disappoint his parents. Huffing every ten feet, the black-haired boy eventually made his way back into the Academy's back yard, where the other children had already arrived and were playing among the playground equipment.

Not wanting to mingle with the others, Sasuke slipped away into the circle of trees at the back of the playground. He would do some shuriken practice while he waited for the bell to ring. Training would help clear his mind.

* * *

Naruto slowly walked down the street, ignoring all the looks the villagers gave him. His hand was gripped tightly in Kakashi's, and though this would usually annoy the bright boy, Naruto didn't try to break free. As young as he was, he could still sense the fear that ran through the grey-haired man, and he didn't want to upset the jounin by pulling away. The third floor windows of the Academy peeked in the near distance, and the blonde felt a grin pull at his lips.

Being away from the school had been such a drag. After perfecting his speech, the Uzumaki had been eager to get back to the classroom, and his dear friend Hinata as well. Of course, because he still wouldn't speak in his dad's presence, Minato didn't want his son going back. It had taken a while, but Naruto was able to convince the adults –silently of course- to let him return to school. And that's where Kakashi was taking him now. Even though there was only half a day left, it was enough the get the blonde jumping with excitement.

The pair walked around the corner, and Kyuubi-container began to tug on the shinobi's arm. The school was right there! He could hear the other children playing at the playground, which meant that it was still lunch time. If he was lucky, then maybe the blonde would get to see Sasuke! Afterall, Naruto vowed to safe his first words for the raven. Naruto tugged harder, and Kakashi looked down at him worriedly, the man's grip tightening around the child's hand. The boy stopped tugging, looking back up at the dog-nin as well. He pouted, his cerulean orbs pleading to be released.

Kakashi blinked, then sighed. "Just…. Be careful, okay Naruto?"

Naruto nodded, smiling brightly to ensure that he'd be alright, and Hatake let go. Immediately the blonde jumped and booked it into the playground, grinning widely. He ran this way and that, at the moment not caring about finding his friend, just ecstatic to be free. The Hokage's office was nice but it got stuffy after a while. Panting, Naruto came to a stop, looking around. Now where was Hinata? He saw a flash of black, and white eyes, and was homing in on the Hyuuga without a moment's hesitation.

* * *

Hinata patted Akamaru's head as the puppy continued to roll about in front of her, covering himself in grass and dirt. She giggled softly when the animal got onto his legs and shook himself wildly. "Akamaru, don't get Hinata dirty!"

Pale eyes glanced up at Kiba, who was hanging upside down from the monkey bars. The Inuzuka was frowning at his dog, displeased with what the puppy had just done. "I-it's okay, K-Kiba-kun," Hinata assured. "I-I'm no-not dirty."

The brunette turned his gaze to the raven, smiling, his cheeks slightly pink. "If you say so, Hinata. Why don't you come up here and sit with us?," the dog-lover invited. The girl smiled kindly in thanks but shook her head.

"I-I rat-ther stay h-here," she answered. She picked up the wreath of flowers she had been tying together to demonstrate that she was already preoccupied. Kiba frowned a little but said nothing. He would have preferred if the Hyuuga would join him in activities like climbing the monkey bars, but if the girl gave up her own hobbies for Kiba's then she wouldn't be Hinata anymore, now would she?

The brunette's brow furrowed in confusion at his own train of thought, shaking it off, as he swung to another set of rungs and proceeded to hang from them. "I'm glad she doesn't like to climb," Chouji muttered under his breath from his spot on the lower rungs.

"What was that?!," Kiba growled, glaring at the chubby kid. Chouji glared back as best as he could, shoving another mouthful of chips into his mouth.

"You are mean to Naruto and won't let him play with us. Then you go and find a girl from his class and now you always want her to play with us. You're not a fair person, Kiba," Chouji remarked.

Kiba stuck his tongue out at the other boy. "Shut up, pig. Hinata isn't some snot-nosed baby, so if I say she's to play with us, she's going to play with us!"

Shikamaru sat up from where he had been laying across the monkey bars, looking sleepily down at both boys. "On the contrary, Kiba," the genius mumbled, "just because you want to spend time with the Hyuuga doesn't mean we have to. If you want to keep playing with her, then I suggest you two go play somewhere else."

Kiba scowled at Kiba, and glared at Chouji. "Fine," he huffed. "Be that way! You guys aren't really my friends anyways!" The brunette jumped to the playground floor, scooping Akamaru up and putting the puppy into his hood. "Come on, Hinata," the Inuzuka said, holding his hand out to the raven, "let's go somewhere else."

Hinata, who wasn't deaf, took Kiba's hand and allowed him to lead her away from the other two. She kept her head bowed, clutching her wreath of flowers to her chest. "i-I'm s-sorry….," she whispered. "i-I di-didn't mean f-for you a-and y-your fr-friends to h-have a fig-fight…."

Kiba smiled sadly. "Nah, that's okay Hinata. It's not your fault. They just don't see how cool you are!" Hinata blushed, but said nothing more. The brunette's words had made her feel a little better. Kiba continued to trot ahead, and the Hyuuga followed faithfully behind him. Suddenly something grabbed her arm, and the timid girl turned around to face it.

What ever Hinata thought it was that had grabbed her, she was mistaken when her light lilac eyes fixed themselves on the bright face of one Uzumaki. "N-naruto-kun!," Hinata gasped excitedly. The boy nodded his head, smiling at her. The raven was still shocked from the blonde's return, she had yet to notice that her friend had not said a word. That soon changed after a moment, when the Hyuuga calmed down enough.

"N-Naruto-kun…. C-can y-you not t-talk?," she asked.

Naruto cocked his head to the side, his smile turning twisted. He nodded, then he shook his head. Yes, and no, he meant. "O-oh….," Hinata sighed. She had been so worried since Naruto had left school, and rumors had been flying that the Yondaime's son was sick. Was that why the blonde couldn't –or wouldn't- talk? Would he ever speak again? The raven surely hoped so. She already missed the sound of the Uzumaki's voice, and couldn't imagine never hearing it again.

"I should have known," came a dark voice from behind the pair. Both turned, and were faced with a glaring Kiba, fists clenched at the brunette's side. He had walked on ahead, sure that Hinata was trailing not far behind him when he stopped at the swings and had turned to face the girl, only to not find her there. The Inuzuka had been forced to backtrack, and lo and behold, the Hyuuga was here…. With Naruto.

Kiba bit his lip to keep down the growl that rose in his chest. He didn't care if he scared the blonde, but the boy would care if he frightened Hinata as well. "I can't believe you actually came back," Kiba scoffed. "And here I'd been hoping the baby would stay home in his crib."

Naruto glared up at the older boy, stepping in front of Hinata. Kiba let his growl out, seeing what the Uzumaki did. As if the girl needed protection! Akamaru poked out from the brunette's coat, and joined in on the growling. But the blonde wouldn't back down, and instead increased his glare.

"Why you stupid-!"

Kiba launched himself at the blonde, tackling the boy to the ground. Immediately a scrambling fist fight broke out between the two boys, kicking and biting thrown into the rough mix. Hinata stood at the side, weakly pleading for both boys to stop, but they were too busy to hear her. A couple kids were starting to notice the fight now, and were poking their friends to see what was going on. But before a crowd could actually gather, a hand was thrust between the two males, grabbing hold of Kiba's collar and yanking the brunette away from the blonde.

* * *

Sasuke looked up at the sky, checking the sun's position and concluding that lunch recess was drawing to a close. The raven walked around the small clearing of trees, gathering his shuriken gingerly, and placing them back into his pack. The boy studied his cut fingers as he walked out of the forest and into the school playground. He had been right in assuming that the random training session would help empty his mind, but the price had been the thin cuts all along his fingers.

"An eye for an eye….," Sasuke mumbled to himself, uncaring. The Uchiha walked through the playground, keeping to the edges, approaching the doors. He ignored the other students as they continued to enjoy the last few minutes of their freedom, but the chaos that was unfolding before him was harder to ignore. First of all, the one that was rolling about on top, throwing most of the punches was Kiba. That wasn't hard to see. And the one underneath….

Sasuke felt his eyes shoot open in surprise. The blonde that he had been cursing only earlier that day was the one scrapping with the brunette, biting and kicking back with as much strength as the Inuzuka had. A wave of vertigo hit the Uchiha. He felt a hatred rise at the sight of Naruto, but watching him fight Kiba…. It was unfair.

Before he even really knew what he was doing, Sasuke had marched over to the two boys, reaching into the tussle and pulling Kiba out. The brunette opened his mouth to snap something, but the raven was throwing his fist and hitting the dog-lover hard in the chin before the Inuzuka could say more. Kiba fell to the floor, hissing in pain, tears in his eyes.

"You….!," he gasped, glaring at Sasuke.

Sasuke snorted. Hinata rocked on her feet, divided in who to share her attention with. She turned to Naruto finally, kneeling beside the boy and attempting to help him up. Naruto only waved her hand off, smiling brightly at her. He had lost a tooth in the scuffle. The Inuzuka saw this, and his face darkened more with hurt.

"Fine," he gruffed to himself, slowly rising to his feet and shuffling away. His pup, Akamaru whimpered as he padded alongside his master.

Sasuke turned to the blonde, staring blankly down at the child. Naruto looked back at him, smiling. The black-haired male frowned, tensing for the expected badgering from the smaller boy and constant requests to be his friend. If that happened, then Sasuke wouldn't hesitate to punch the Uzumaki like he did Kiba.

Naruto slowly got to his feet, Hinata standing next to him, arms slightly open should the blonde need her help. But the boy never needed it. He got to his feet and stood steadily, beaming brightly despite the bruises and scratches that flecked across his skin. The black-haired children were silent, unsure of what was to happen next but expecting something all the same.

"It's okay, Hinata," Naruto suddenly spoke. "I'll be fine. And thanks Sasuke, for the help, but I never really needed it."

The bell rung above their heads, and Naruto looked at the school. "Well, I guess that's it for now. See you in class, Hinata-chan!" And the blonde skipped away from them. Hinata and Sasuke stood stock still, both stunned beyond words. The chunnin on playground duty had to escort the two inside and to their classrooms.

* * *

Kakashi swallowed nervously, knocking on the Hokage's door and then stepping into the office. Minato, sitting behind the desk, looked up worriedly, tossing his paperwork to the side. "Kakashi….what's happened? Is it Naruto?! Is he okay?," the blonde fired. The jounin was struggling to remain calm, but his sensei's frantic behavior wasn't helping him much.

"E-everything's fine, sensei," he replied, gesturing for the Yondaime to relax and take a seat. "No need to panic."

Minato looked skeptical, but he slowly reclaimed his chair, hands pressed against the desktop anxiously. "Kakashi….your lips tell me so, but your eyes don't reflect it. Tell me the truth…now!," the man growled.

The grey-haired male resisted the urge to chuckle nervously. "O-okay," he relented, "I'll tell you. But you must promise me that you're not going to react badly… please?"

Yondaime bit his lip, slowly nodding his head. Kakashi sighed, but he still was jumpy as hell, and knew that despite the man's words, Minato was most likely to still freak out. "Well…."

"Just get on with it!," Minato snapped.

"Naruto got into a fight today, and he's speaking again!," Kakashi burst out.

The blonde man blinked incredulously for a few moments, before suddenly he was up out of his chair, whooping for joy. The jounin allowed himself to relax abit. Maybe Minato wasn't so upset by the news of Naruto's fight as the dog-nin thought he was going to be. He spoke a bit to soon, though, because Minato had suddenly stopped jumping merrily about his office, and rounded on the younger man.

"Naruto got into a WHAT?!"

* * *

Sasuke walked through the front door, yawning in exhaustion. This day had been killer on his tender child emotions. "Judging by that yawn, I'd have to say that you're not up for a little training before dinner."

The boy's head snapped up at the voice, and Sasuke gaped at his brother, who sat cross-legged on the front step. The older raven was smirking warmly at the child. "N-nii-san….wh-wha….?"

"I heard what happened this afternoon," Itachi answered, getting to his feet. "Heard that Naruto's back to talking, and complete and proper sentences too. I'm proud, otouto-kun." Sasuke stood stock-still as his sibling lightly flicked his forehead; an old action of brotherly affection. Without willing them, tears sprang to the boy's eyes and Sasuke was grinning up at Itachi.

"Still up for training?," the older male asked.

"Definitely!," Sasuke chirped.

**

* * *

**

C.M.D: okay, this wasn't probably the best written chapter...but isn't it still awww worthy? Doesn't it make your teeth rot with pure, sweet fluff? Everything's an almost-happy ending! I wonder, what could happen now? You'll have to wait until next update to find out!!  
But first.... Review guys!! I need reviews. Reviews create motivation, motivation creates ideas, and ideas creates chapters for you! So, REVIEW!! please.


	11. Baa, baa Black Sheep

**C.M.D: ...alright, trying to get back into the swing of things here. First, thank you's. Thank you for reviewing: FallenAngel Sayu, ochibi-chwan, BloodyRoseSharpThorn, The Desiree Incident, Eliichan, GoldenKistuneHime13, Tanuki-Mara, -siarafaerie-101-miss, JuMiKu, Shadeofblue, Chaos Dragon-Fox, IraiMo, qurie, cluelessninja65, tea, blugirlami21, Nayeli, GothicInuAngel01, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, like a message, passionateartist, Yah-Oh-Ee, kurokaon, MeEksiNs, Mrs Hatake Itachi, kaear, Feonixis, Mina Hikari, Slate Grey, gadez, Laie Himura de Fenal, Zuzuari, Steps Into The Looking Glass, Kistune Naru, GothAngel18, asm613, 11OneDone2Many, Sand kunoichi, melissaaax3, PancakeMixLordOfPantopia, DarkestFlameUchiha, mizu99, You-May-call-me-Hime, Sour Queen, mochiusagi, BlackDawnYaoilover, MikaUchiha, Ebony Pistol, when spells go wrong, and animelove20. There's a lot more of you this time around, which makes me happier, but it also means I have more names to write out. Thanks for all your comments, and thanks to the ones reading who haven't yet reviewed. you guys are such motivators.  
**

_**Baa, baa, baa Black Sheep**_

Minato, unable to sit and do work any longer, begged Sarutobi to finish up for the evening and quickly chased after Kakashi; who was heading over to pick Naruto up. The whole trip, the Yondaime harassed the poor jounin for details about his son's talking and fight. Kakashi tried to escape several times, but the blonde was having none of that, and quickly yanked the younger man back to his side each time.

"Naruto got into a fight? My Naru?! What the hell happened?," Minato demanded. "What was the problem? Where were the teachers? Why didn't they intervene? Who started it? Who was the kid that hurt my little naru?Whatgrade?Hisname,streetaddress,parents!?WhatdidNarutosaywhenhespoke?DidthekidforceNarutototalk?!Isthatwhy?!Isthatwhathappened?Kakashi,ANSWER ME!!" The Yondaime's questions started running together, until a person could barely catch what was being said, grabbing his former pupil roughly and shaking the male like a doll.

"....can't ....th..think...," the silver-haired youth replied faintly. His sensei was still shaking him, making the poor man's head snap back and forth with the repeated motion. Kakashi knew he was going to be sick any moment, if his neck didn't break first that is.

A smart man would have probably done their best to answer their old master's interrogation, despite the shaking, but the Hatake could say that he was much more smarter than the average man. Giving Minato the answers he wanted, would do nothing but give the man an outlet to vent at. And the last thing Konoha needed was a Kage who bullied on little children, no matter what the circumstance may be.

The shaking stopped, and Kakashi was woozingly grateful for that. He was yanked forward suddenly, Minato's face being thrust into his own. _'Oh god, don't puke! Don't puke on your sensei's face!'_ The jounin blinked slowly, swallowing slowly to keep the barf down. His head was still feeling very light from lack of blood flow thanks to a vigorous shaking, and the blonde's narrowed eyes and frown looked somewhat hilarious at the moment. "Y...yes..?"

"Was it the Uchiha?," the yondaime asked seriously.

The silver-haired man tried to hold it back, but the snort still came out and he could feel his sensei's hands tighten around the fistfuls of his shirt. "N-no, I mean, the Uchiha wasn't involved," Kakashi scrambled, trying to keep from being thrashed about again. "Why don't you ask Naruto what happened, hmm? I'm sure he'd love to tell you."

Grumbling, Minato mulled the suggestion over and nodded his agreement. After that, the two men walked the last bit of the distance to the Academy without anymore distractions. Children were hanging about outside, school having been let out already. Some of the boys and girls stopped what they were doing to gawk as their Hokage walked into the yard, waving and calling to the blonde. The Yondaime smiled brightly to all of them, waving back with just as much vigor as the kids. Kakashi smiled behind his mask, keeping stride with his sensei as they walked toward the Academy's front doors.

Minato was always a big softie when it came to children, and they loved him back just as much. It was nice seeing the blonde in an environment where both parties could openly be kind, happy and relaxed. So much better than at the Hokage Tower, where formalities ruled over all interactions. They were just reaching the doors (Kakashi figured Naruto had managed to get detention again today), when suddenly they were flung open and a little gold bundle came running out of them.

"DADDY!!"

As if he knew this was going to happen, Minato quickly turned around and threw his arms wide open to receive the tiny tike that was charging at him. Giggling, Naruto jumped into his dad's waiting arms, wrapping his arms around the older blonde's neck and planting sloppy kisses all over the man's face. The Yondaime chuckled along with his son, cheeks turning pink with merriment. The Hatake knew that more of the joy came from the dad finally hearing his son speak again.

"Naru...," the Lightning Flash murmured with happy disbelief, "You really are speaking."

Naruto pulled back, beaming brightly at his dad. "You came to pick me up today, daddy! I'm so happy!!," the child squealed, nudging his face under his old man's chin.

"I came too, you know," Kakashi piped up from the side.

The blonde turned to him and shared a foxy grin with the silver-haired shinobi. "Thank you, Kakashi-nii-san!"

The copy-nin was glad that things seemed to be going back to normal, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't hate the new name he had. "I'm going to miss being called 'Kashi," the young man sighed under his breath.

"Naru...," Minato started, "... there's a hole in your smile." The blonde eyebrow was beginning to twitch sporadically. _'Uh oh,'_ Kakashi thought, _'Probably should have mentioned the little bit about the lost tooth.'_

"Ah," Naruto gasped, remembering it himself. He reached back and pulled a tiny little bag out of his pocket, holding it up to his dad's face. "I lost my tooth when I was fighting that smelly dog boy," he boasted with pride. Kakashi couldn't help it: he laughed, while his sensei only paled.

"T-that's... wonderful, Naru," the Yondaime stuttered. The man sighed, and cast a quick glare to the jounin who shut up immediately, before turning his attention back to his son. "We'll have to put it under your pillow tonight so the Tooth Fairy can come and get it."

"Huh? Noooo," the Kyuubi-carrier whined. "It's my tooth. I don't want some tooth bird taking it!"

Minato smiled, shaking his head at the child. "Naruto, it's the Tooth Fairy. She's a pretty little fairy who comes whenever a little boy or girl loses their tooth. You put it under your pillow, and she comes into your room at night to take the tooth and give you money in exchange," he explained. Naruto was so cute when he whined over silly things.

The boy's face lit up as understanding dawned on the blonde, and he looked down at the bag containing his tooth in his hands with contemplation. Both adults waited patiently for what the verdict was going to be. "So.... I get money for my tooth?" Nods. "Okay, then!," Naruto suddenly proclaimed. "I'll let the tooth ninja have my tooth for fifty dollars!!"

"Wow, what a bargain," Kakashi drawled, patting Minato's shoulder in sympathy. "Well, I hope the Tooth ninja's gotta a wide purse tonight. Tooth ninja... I like that. Sounds a whole lot more respectable than the 'tooth fairy'."

The golden-crowned man laughed dryly, rolling his eyes. "Yay... Let's go home, Naru."

"Say, Naru, how about telling us how your day at school was like?"

* * *

Minato cracked the door open gently, peering into the darkened room. His little boy was cuddled up under a large blue comforter, sleeping peacefully. With the same grace that marked him as the best shinobi in all of Konoha, the Yondaime stepped to Naruto's bed, kneeling without a sound. Silent and focused, the man slipped his hand under the younger blonde's pillow, pinching a tooth in two fingers and depositing five dollars in its place. Naruto didn't even stir as Minato pulled his hand back.

The blonde smiled sadly at this, and with resignation, sat back on his heels. Being Hokage meant a lot. Not just to the man himself, but to the rest of the villagers as well. Children were able to sleep soundly in their beds, without the thought of war and violence hanging over their heads and tainting their dreams. Children... like his own son... were able to live in peace because of him.

But... peace had its own price to pay. Thanks to all of Minato's efforts, life was well for Konoha. Yet, in the background it seemed his own family was falling apart. He had already lost Kushina, and it left Naruto without a mother. But apparently, being Hokage was also forcing the little boy to lose his own dad. Swamped with paperwork and the concerns of the village, anything in relation to his son was forced to the side, and never looked upon until everything else had been dealt with.

What kind of parent was he? The Yondaime swallowed back a sigh, and reached out to his sleeping Naruto, wrapping his fingers around the boy's fist. So tiny, he noted, lightly squeezing the hand. The Kyuubi-container was tuckered out after today, and this brought a painful smile to Minato's lips.

He had spent the last hour talking to Kakashi about everything that had occurred today. From Naruto going back to school, all the way to bringing the child home. "You shouldn't blame yourself for not knowing," the Hatake had told him, "You're Hokage. It's expected that you put the greater good before everything else. Even your family. But it's not as if you're entirely abandoning them either," the grey-haired jounin hastily added. "You asked that you get weekly reports, and the Academy staff have been diligently complying. They give me all of Naruto's reports, and update me on all of his classroom activity."

"How is that acceptable?," the blonde asked.

Kakashi leaned forward on the table, his brow crinkled. "Don't I tell you everything when you get home?"

The Fourth fixed the younger man with a look. "Then how come I never knew of Naruto's behavior up until the time he lost his voice. Where were you, and why wasn't I informed until now?"

The sharigan-wielder visibly flinched, and bowed his head in shame. He couldn't keep this in any longer. "Sensei… forgive me," came the jounin's reply. "I had thought, that perhaps… that information would be better if you didn't hear about it."

Minato stood to his feet quickly, furious at his pupil's admission. "Y-you… you purposely hid these things from me! This is _my_son we're talking about!! How dare you lie to me?!"

"That's exactly the reason why….," Kakashi mumbled, "that I didn't tell you everything that was happening to Naruto." The Yondaime froze, his mouth filled with a bitter taster of his own anger, torn between what he was to do next. Slowly, anxiously, Kakashi lifted his head and gazed sorrowfully at his mentor. "I respect you so much, sensei…," the man began, "but you don't seem to realize what you're doing to Naruto."

"I'm… I'm not doing anything to Naruto," the blonde hissed back.

"Sensei, you're refusing to let him grow! I know you're not fully able to get over what happened to Kushina, but isolating your own son is doing nothing for him," Kakashi said, his tone wavering on emotional. "Nobody ever says anything, because we don't want to upset you any further. But Naruto is not a baby anymore. He is more than capable of thinking and doing things on his own. And the fact that you would rather keep him a baby forever… don't you think that your wanting to protect your son, in its own way, is actually hurting him?"

Minato dropped unceremoniously back into his own chair, his face etched with disbelief. Silence stretched on between the two men, before the Hatake spoke up again. "I'm sorry," he whispered, fingers fidgeting with guilt and suppressed pain. "I'm sorry. T-this has nothing to do with the reports… w-we should forget what was j-just said… I've just been a l-little tense l-lately…"

"No. That's no excuse....,"Minato murmured, slowly overcoming his shock. He focused on the grey-haired male, eyes matching the same sorrow in the other's orbs. "…A grown man needs to face the facts."

"I'm sorry…"

"So am I."

Kakashi's masked crumpled with a whirlwind of conflicted emotions. Rising to his feet once more, the Yondaime had patted the young shinobi on the shoulder, returning the one-eyed stare evenly. "I hope in the future, you can still be there for Naruto… you seem to know what's better for him than I do," the blonde whispered solemnly. Kakashi had no choice but to let the conversation end there.

Minato opened his eyes, unaware he had closed them in the first place, and studied his sleeping child's face. Trying to keep back the tide of negative emotions, Minato got to his feet, kissing the temple of his flesh and blood and slowly prying his fingers off of the small hand. Tomorrow was a new day, and time waited for no one.

* * *

Sasuke padded to school, early as usual, but still keeping his brisk pace to stay ahead of the fangirls. He didn't feel like dealing with them on any day, but especially not today with the final shreds of last night's bubbly joy beginning to fade. Passing the school gates, the raven tipped his head in acknowledgment to all of the staff, and made his way to the doors. A shinobi held the door open to the child, and again Sasuke nodded his head in thanks.

The Uchiha languidly strolled through the school halls, mood returning to average. Today, his nii-san would be leaving for another mission. Sasuke pouted, but quickly adjusted his features so that he would be frowning, instead of pouting. Uchiha boys didn't pout, they either scowled or frowned. Getting back onto track, the black-haired child frowned in annoyance. He wanted to spend more time with Itachi, training and the such, but as usual his older brother was in demand for current missions. And just when everything had been settled between the two ravens as well!

The little raven in Sasuke's head stomped about and ranted that the blonde Uzumaki should be blamed, but Sasuke couldn't muster up the same amount of animosity that he felt to the smaller boy at the moment. He was too depressed right now to care about Naruto, not that thinking about the bright-eyed boy would do him any good. After yesterday, the raven could only come up with confusion and surprise at the blonde's behavior. Talking… the smaller boy went from baby babble and pestering him, to talking full words the next day. It was… kinda amazing, Sasuke had to admit, but for some reason he doubted that Naruto could learn to speak that fast. Was the broken sentences just a act?

.... 'Cause all this questioning was really not thinking about the blonde. Sasuke shook his head, slightly annoyed that his thoughts could wander so much without him knowing, entering into his classroom and taking his seat. The black-haired child rested his chin in the palm of his hand, staring blandly up at the front of the room. The class was empty, not even the teacher was in yet, and would be that way for half an hour still. Perhaps he should go outside and train? Sasuke shook that option off as well, knowing that his fangirls would show up soon and he didn't want to be swarmed while holding pointy objects. You could never know when the little Uchiha might accidentally poke someone with a kunai or shuriken.

Mind set, the raven relaxed into his chair, reaching for his backpack that he had dropped onto the floor upon taking his seat. If he was going to have free time, might as well do some reading or practice questions. It was when he was turning to the window, that he noticed the pair outside, just walking past the Academy's gates. The Yondaime was carrying his son in his arms, their heads close together as they chatted merrily. As they got closer to the school, Naruto pecked his father on the cheek, and the man tickled his son under his chin while placing a kiss on the tiny crown. Giggling still, the young blonde was placed on the ground, and kneeling, the Yondaime gave his little boy a hug.

Sasuke immediately turned his head away. He kind of felt like he was spying... but more than anything seeing the two blondes, happy together, made his stomach all queasy. Despite the fact that Naruto's daddy was the Yondaime, the other boy still got to see his dad often and received hugs and kisses as well. The Uzumaki was really lucky.... Sasuke's dad never did any of those things...

When the raven finally got the courage to look back to the window, the Yondaime was gone and the little blonde was skipping across the yard. Sasuke tensed as the Uzumaki got closer and closer to his window, knowing that sooner or later Naruto would notice him and probably start up again with his begging to be friends. Sure enough, those big blue eyes caught sight of the black-haired child, and Naruto froze in his spot, just a couple meters away from the window, for a few seconds. Then the blonde twisted his head away from Sasuke and skipped out of sight.

Sasuke's mind reeled as yellow hair disappeared from sight, feeling his jaw fall slack. The younger boy had only looked at him for a second before purposely turning away and skipping off. As if the other child was no longer interested in him...

Wait, what?! Had the little Uchiha just been _ignored_....?

* * *

After dropping Naruto off at the Academy, Minato started straight for the Hospital, ignoring the Hokage tower for the time being. He had something that he needed to do, and after last night especially, it couldn't be put off. He entered the Hospital and was greeted formally by everyone there. But the smiles and 'good morning's stopped as soon as he was past the lobby and waiting room, heading deeper into the hospital. The nurses he passed in the hallway now were somber, none of them would look at him directly. Even if they did, like one of the younger woman did, their faces would be etched with sympathy. Sympathy, or pity, was not what the Yondaime wanted to see. Then again, if anyone besides his son were to smile brightly at him this very moment, he surely wouldn't hesitate to thrust a rasengan straight into their face.

The hospital speakers crackled over head, calling out for certain medical attention needed downstairs and a cleanup in the pediatric center. A doctor stepped out of a room on his left, and strode down the hall, grumbling about irritant patients while opening his case folder. Minato's eyes followed the other man, until the doctor had rounded the corner, then the blonde fixed his gaze back front. A freshly sprayed scent of disinfectant reached his nose, and his face scrunched up with disgust.

Normally, the Yondaime was a neutral man when it came to hospitals. He neither liked them, nor did he dislike them really. But war and a million other confrontations, always brought the injured to the hospital– and if nothing could be done, death was the only inevitable ending. So even though the bland colors, quiet environment and aim-to-please-but-most-likely-just-piss-people-off-with-our-over-cheeriness nurses, didn't bother the man; other things did. Scents in particular: disinfectant, oxygen gas, sterile needles and scalpels. And of course, certain sounds like the beeps and gas emissions that the life support system made at regular intervals.

It was those sounds that Minato began to hear as he entered into another corridor, his shinobi-toned senses picking up the quiet smells and noises all the way from the opposite end of the hallway. His fingers and toes got cold, and it felt like cement had filled his sandals, he was rooted to the spot. His eyes fell to half-mast, and he swayed as he was overcome with fresh grief. He had never been able to get over this loss, and coming here each time cut him open anew, to the point that the blonde wondered how much of him was left unscarred. But though he was suddenly scared, and wanted nothing more than to hide like a little child, Minato still coerced his muscles to take that first step.

That first step allowed him to be numb, and he made the rest of the way down the hall without a problem. At the doorway, he leaned against the door, forehead pressed against the cool glass. His lungs sucked on the air greedily, as if he had been swimming for hours or had just taken on several hundred enemies all by his lonesome. Walking down the hallway was difficult.... opening the door here, was almost impossible. But like every other time before, the Yondaime steeled himself, and with sheer force of will slid the door open stepping into the room.

Soft daylight filled the room, making the white walls and floor all that much brighter. The fuzzy brightness would have been a peaceful comfort, if it weren't for the bed pushed against the far wall, large pieces of equipment plugged into a small female's body. "Hi," Minato whispered, smiling sadly. "It's been a while... Kushina."

The man shut the door behind him and walked further into the room. Now he couldn't run away. "It's kind of stuffy in here. Let me open the window for you." He opened the window a crack, then took five hesitant steps to his wife's bedside, sitting down on a free spot on the bed. He reached out and stroked a stray strand of red hair out of her face. "Hmmm.... your hair's gotten so long now. It's amazing how fast it grows," Minato remarked. "Though you'd be even more surprised at how much our little Naru has grown. Here, let me show you a picture."

The blonde rifled in his pockets for the picture, pulling it out and holding it out for the unresponsive woman to see. "He grows up so fast. He's already in the Academy now, and he's so eager to learn a lot of things. He... he always goes on about how he wants to be Hokage just like his daddy when he's all grown up," Minato tried giggling with good cheer, but his laughter came out forced, and he let it die inside of his chest , "He's so beautiful, Kushina..... Everybody says he looks just like me, but he's got your heart. He'll be six this October...."

The yondaime looked up at his wife, seeing only her sleeping face, oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose; and he looked away, sighing. "I...I'll get this framed for you so you can have something nice to put on your night stand. Something to brighten up the room.... so you can have Naruto by your side constantly." The male slipped the picture back into pocket, reaching out and grabbing Kushina's hand. His blue orbs glanced toward the life support system, and with disappointment, looked away after seeing that there was no disturbance in the brain-wave pattern displayed on one of the screens.

Five years... it had been five years since Kushina had fallen into a coma, and as the days went on, it looked as is she would never recover. More and more people were losing hope as their attempts to draw the woman out of her sleep failed, and Minato knew very well that the longer someone stayed in a coma, the less likely they would be able to wake up. But he couldn't just give up, he couldn't be the one to pull the plug. Naruto wasn't even aware he had a mother, but he wanted his son to know about the woman that gave him life, and that Minato loved with all his heart and soul. He just didn't want the little boy to see his mommy like this... a person who could never hold him, play him, or tell him how much he meant to her. It wouldn't be fair...

"Why...," Minato croaked. "Why can't you wake up? Kushina... please... Our little Naru... I can never bring him here, never let him see you. Do you understand how much this hurts me?! He doesn't understand right now that he's missing something, but when he does, his curiosity will never cease. He'll ask me, and ask me, and ask me... and I will have no choice to lie because he's only a little boy, he could never comprehend why his mommy isn't waking up!"

There were tears dripping down his cheeks now, and Minato gripped his wife's cold hand tighter, trying his best not to sob. "Kushina... I miss you so much...," he whimpered. "I need you back... I thought I could be a great father to Naruto... but somehow I keep screwing up. Even Kakashi... he says that I'm restraining Naruto, and I want to call him a liar, but I can see that's what I'm doing. I just... I just don't want to lose him like you!"

The Yondaime slapped his free hand against his eyes, folding into himself. The pain... the pain was becoming too much. "He's all I have... my everything....," he told the woman, "You sleep here, breathing, but it's a machine that keeps your heart beating. I want you back Kushina... I need your guidance... and Naruto, he needs you the most of all. He barely has a father... please, don't make me have to tell him that he has no mom too..," he finished off softly.

His pleads fell on deaf ears, and Minato choked, surrounded by the sound of machines keeping his wife alive. People had told him many times that he should just let Kushina go.... Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Tsunade.... but he couldn't. As long as his wife was still breathing, then she was technically still alive, and he would never kill her. Besides... the woman hadn't even had the chance to see their little boy before she slipped away from reality. She should at least have a chance to meet the life that she had birthed.

Excuses... here he was again just making excuses, but the blonde didn't care. He knew, bottom line that he would never let Kushina die... even if she was practically dead to the world around her. The Yondaime would still come here, and talk to the red-head, and hope desperately that one of these days that she would wake up and that the three of them (Naruto, Minato and Kushina) could all be a happy family. Like they were meant to be....

Wiping at his aching eyes, Minato sighed and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall by the door. He was late for work. With resignation, the blonde rose to his feet, bending down quickly to place a chaste kiss on his slumbering spouse's lips. "I'll be back," he promised, straightening up. He walked as far as the door before looking back, hand on the door jam. "I want Naruto to be happy.... but I just can't let him go. Even if it means I hold him back from doing things... like making friends... I don't want to lose him too. Please, forgive me," he whispered, leaving. Wind circled throughout the room, unsettling a strand of Kushina's hair, as the Lightning Flash put his name to work and teleported to the Hokage tower.

**

* * *

C.M.D: Yeah... I know I've been dead for pretty much three months and I apologized that I haven't updated for such a long time. I had school and work to deal with (even summer school) and I just couldn't figure out what I was going to write for the next chapter. A lot of you reviewed asking that I update soon, and feeling pressured, I also knew for myself that I really did need to at least attempt the next chapter. That's how this one managed to come to life.  
It might not be the greatest (I myself don't really like it)but I can say that it moves the plot along, and I promise I'll get back to SasukexNaruto friendship bit next update.  
Anyways, I'm glad that many of you enjoy the story so far, and I hope you'll keep liking it still. Review and tell me what you guys think, and hopefully, we can see another update before the end of September. That's it for this time, Ja Ne~!! **


	12. Have you any Wool?

**C.M.D: Yay for quick updates! Let's hope I have more of these, ne? Anyways, on to the thank you's. THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING: Ichi Hime-Sama, Mina Hikari, -siarafaerie-101-miss, SasunaruHOLIC, Chaos Dragon-Fox, Utena-Puchiko-nyo, The Only Love For Soujiro Seto, mochiusagi, blugirlami21, qurie, kai, Sutzina Zion, cluelessninja65, reflex, Shy-Hime, Gohanzgirl, sasodei-iz-awesome, The 17th Requiem, DarkestFlameUchiha, 11OneDone2Many, FallenAngel Sayu. As always, I love reading all your reviews and they sure can motivate a person... if writer's block doesn't get in the way. Thanks for reviewing and thanks to everyone whose reading but hasn't reviewed yet. I hope you're all enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing it. Alright, enough rambling... read on!**

**_Baa, baa Black Sheep,  
Have you any Wool?_  
**

Naruto hummed merrily as he drew fighting ninjas in the dirt, using his stick to add some awesome lightning to one of the shinobi's attacks. Hinata sat crouched beside him, watching her classmate doodle. She was silent, as was common, but this time out of contemplation. School was out for the day now and she was waiting for her Neji-nii-san to get out of class, so that the two of them could go home. Naruto too was waiting for someone to come pick him up, most likely Kakashi-san. Her colorless orbs flickered up as other children walked by them, heading to the gates to reunite with parents or older siblings. The girl caught sight of Kiba, stomping out of the Academy, dragging a reluctant Akamaru behind him.

The brunette didn't even turn to look at them, and the raven lowered her head in sadness. It had been almost two weeks since Naruto had returned to school and she had lost Kiba's friendship. To her young mind, that was a long time, and she found herself unable to get over it. Picking at her nail, she raised her head a little to see what Naruto was drawing this time. The blonde had moved on past ninjas and was drawing big snakes and dogs. He muttered little sounds as he doodled, which sounded like hisses and puppy barks. The image brought a tugging to the Hyuuga's lips, and she felt her cheering up a tiny bit.

She was sad that Kiba no longer wanted to be around her, but she was happy that she still had Naruto.

Hinata glanced at the school, hoping to see her cousin by now, when out of the doors came Sasuke. The Uchiha stopped, shifting his bag, staring over at the pair of younger children. There was a sound beside her and the girl looked to see that Naruto was staring up at Sasuke too. But after a moment, the blonde returned his gaze back to the ground, his drawing stick wiggling as he created another image. Hinata felt her mouth open in shock, and she turned her attention back to Sasuke. The older boy was frowning now, and angrily he turned and walked away. The raven watched as the Uchiha left too, and felt her chest tighten.

She hiccuped, and Naruto stopped what he was doing, turning his full attention to her. "Hinata-chan?," he asked worriedly. "It's okay. Don't cry. Your cousin will come out soon."

Hinata shook her head, tiny fists coming to her eyes as tears started to form. "T-that...n-not it," she stuttered, feeling her tears start to flow stronger. Naruto looked puzzled, and inched closer to the raven. The little boy tried to comfort his friend but the Hyuuga shrugged him off, inching away from the Uzumaki.

"Y-you-you're not N-naru-to!," she exclaimed.

Naruto looked shocked for a second, then he huffed irritably. "Yes I am," he protested.

"N-noo!," Hinata sobbed. "Th-the N-naruto i-I know w-wants to be Sa-suke-san's fri-iend. B-but you a-are meee-ean to h-him now. Y-yo-ou're always g-ood... a-and you p-plaaay wi-ith j-just me..."

"Y-you do-don't want t-to be my ...fri-iend?," the Uzumaki whispered, staring heart-brokenly at the raven. Hinata tried to speak, but could only cry louder. She shook her head furiously, until her neck started to hurt. Naruto had been avoiding Sasuke for as long as Kiba was ignoring her. She couldn't stand it anymore. "H-hina...," Naruto hiccuped, "P-please... d-don't cry an-anymore. I-I... I'm go-gonna... crrrr-ry too!"

The black-haired girl swallowed back her next sob, looking at the blonde through her teary eyes. Indeed, he looked like he was about to cry too. His bottom lip was trembling and his eyes were all watery and red-rimmed. Sniffing loudly, Hinata wiped at her eyes. She didn't want Naruto to cry too, because then she'd cry more seeing her bawling friend. The Uzumaki too was rubbing at his eyes, trying to get rid of the unshed tears.

"I-I still want to b-be you friend...," Hinata sniffled. "B-but... I want t-the old N-naruto-kun back...."

Naruto blinked, looking at the grass between his sandals. "I...I don't understand," the blonde mumbled. Hinata looked down at her own feet, unsure of how to continue you.

"I l-liked it better...," she attempted, "when Na-naruto-kun didn't speak right. Naruto then tried harder, he even wanted to be Sasuke's friend. N-now he doesn't want to be Sasuke's friend. Wh-where is Naruto's bravery and niceness? And it makes me feel s-sad... because if N-naruto turns away from Sa-sasuke so easy... will N-naruto not want to be m-my friend later on?"

"No!," Naruto shouted, shocking the raven. She looked up at him, eyes tearing up again. The boy desperately tried to get his words out, arms flailing about wildly. "I will always be your friend, Hina!," he proclaimed. "So...so you don't have to cry anymore."

But the Hyuuga was not appeased still. She frowned, and pinched at the whiskered cheeks. The Uzumaki let out at an ouch, staring shocked at the girl. Hinata had never done anything like that to him before! The pale-eyed girl looked at Naruto seriously. "B-but what about Sasuke-san? Don't you want to be his friend s-still?," she asked.

The small boy stared into the raven's colorless orbs, before glancing back at the school. Unaware to both of the other children, he had been watching as Sasuke left. And it kind of made him sad. He still really wanted to be Sasuke's friend, but he thought it would be better not to. He didn't want to upset his daddy or Kakashi-nii-san anymore. "Yes...," he answered reluctantly. "But it doesn't matter."

Hinata pinched Naruto again, and the boy turned his attention back to her. Hinata was looking sad again, and her bottom lip jutted out with anger. "It does matter," she said. "If Naruto still wants to be Sasuke's friend, then he should try! Be-because... it, it hurts w-wanting to play with someone.... and they don't want to even l-look at you...."

Naruto touched the girl's hand, as a couple tears silently dribbled down her white cheeks. "Hina....?"

"I-I w-want to be K-kiba's friend," she wailed, "b-but h-he stays aw-away from m-meeee! I-I don't li-like it; i-it hur-urts!!"

The Uzumaki hugged the crying girl, patting her back. "Don't cry, Hina," he soothed, "Don't cry. I will be Sasuke's friend, and then... then you can be Kiba's friend too, 'kay?"

The Hyuuga calmed down a little, cuddling with the blonde. "B-but what if he doesn't like me anymore...," she breathed worriedly. Naruto chuckled a bit.

"How can he not like you, Hinata-chan," he assured. "And if he doesn't then he's a big dummy. But I will still be Hinata's friend." The raven smiled against the boy's shoulder, squeezing him tightly.

"Hinata!!," called a voice.

The two children parted, both turning to the voice. It was Neji, finally finished talking to his teacher. He stood only a few feet away from them, looking a little impatient. "Come on, Hinata. Let's go home!"

The dark-haired female scrambled to her feet, turning to Naruto one last time. "P-promise me you'll be Sasuke's f-friend?," she asked Naruto. The blonde smiled at her, displaying his growing in tooth.

"I promise."

Smiling, and feeling better now, Hinata turned and ran to her cousin's side. She took his hand, waving back at Naruto one last time, and letting Neji lead her out of the gates. "Hinata... ," he began, concerned. "Were you crying?"

The girl shook her head, cuddling closer to her relative. "It's okay. Naruto didn't do anything. But... I-i do want to be Kiba's friend. I'm going to be his friend... is that alright?" Neji glanced down at the younger child, sighing. "Take care," was all he said.

* * *

The shurikens zipped through the air, most digging into the tree's trunk with a thud, a couple bouncing off the wood and hitting the floor. Sasuke huffed angrily, noticing that many of his stars had missed the center of the target. Slowly he walked to the abused tree, pulling the shuriken out and gathering them into one hand. The little boy looked to the treeline, seeing the blue sky beginning to bleed at the edges. It was nearing sunset and his mom would want him to come home soon. Usually she didn't mind that her youngest son was out training, but if Itachi wasn't around she didn't like Sasuke to be out after sundown.

Crouching to pick up the last few of his shurikens off the floor, Sasuke thought about how he wished his brother was here. At least then maybe he could ask the older Uchiha what to do about Naruto. The raven frowned, grabbing the last star and glaring at the steel projectile. "It's not as if I care or anything....," he mumbled to himself. But even Sasuke knew that was a lie. He had thought the blonde annoying in the beginning, possibly might of hated him, so he couldn't understand how the situation had gotten so turned around.

He was upset now that the Uzumaki was purposely ignoring him, and had been for the past two weeks. When the school year started, he'd grown so accustomed to being pestered by Naruto, that when the other boy disappeared for a week, the raven had.... unadmittingly... missed the other's presence somewhat. Then the little blonde had shown back up again, and Sasuke thought things would go back to normal. But they hadn't. Instead, Naruto was pretending like the older child didn't exist. And the raven felt weird... It seemed something had been missing with Naruto gone and with him back, and despite how angry he was at the blonde, he had felt better knowing that at least the Uzumaki was okay.

But still... to be this bothered by the fact that he had finally gotten the peace that he had so craved, frustrated the Uchiha to no end. He didn't want to think about Naruto, he didn't want to be bothered at all by the fact that the younger boy had finally learned his place.... but he did, and it was bugging him! Sasuke whimpered a bit, glaring up at the tree. The red ring of the target stood out brightly, the center point carved out deeply from Itachi's many well-aimed shuriken throws. Blinking back heated tears, Sasuke wished again that his brother would return back from his mission soon.

Everything was just too confusing to the black-haired child and he knew that Itachi would have all the answers that he was looking for. And he needed those answers soon, because Sasuke didn't know how long he could take being brushed off like this. Today especially had been almost unbearable. He had wanted to stomp over and separate Naruto from the Hyuuga girl, all just to make that idiot look at him; to get the blonde to stop avoiding him. With a huff, Sasuke got to his feet, patting off the dirt on his shorts.

He needed to get home now, or else he'd worry his mom. He'd think about these weird feelings later, hopefully when his aniki came home. If not, then he'd tackle the problem head on, like any proper Uchiha. He wouldn't back down, and he definitely wouldn't give in to Naruto.

* * *

Naruto scribbled messily across his page, drawing a picture to go along with his two sentences. Mizuki-sensei walked past his table, and the blonde glanced up, in time to see the silver-haired teacher glare at him before turning away. The child stuck his tongue out at the man, but didn't bother to further retaliate. Secretly, the boy smiled to himself. Ever since he came back to school, Naruto had pulled up his grades and classroom participation, he wasn't pulling any pranks either. Now Mizuki-sensei was unable to say anything mean to him, though the man still glared at him hatefully when noone was looking. The blonde wondered why that was, but he was still feeling smug anyways.

Naruto colored in some more blue on the sky, turning his head to look over at Hinata sitting at the other table in the room. The raven was focused on her own paper, her tiny fingers carefully coloring her page in with care. It had been a couple days since he had promised the girl after school about befriending Sasuke, and the Uzumaki had yet to act on that promise. He didn't want to break his word to his dear friend, but the little boy had the chance to see Sasuke. And he was suddenly feeling nervous about it.

Chasing after Sasuke had become like a second nature to him, and when he decided not to do it anymore, he was finding it hard to get back into the swing of things. He was hesitant all over again, and he feared he might anger the Uchiha more than he had the last few times when he tried to approach the raven. He'd be lying if the boy didn't say he was somewhat ...scared. Naruto's smile slowly turned into a frown, and the blonde turned to his writing assignment. He stared dismally at the messy picture of him with his daddy, the caption saying how much fun he had when they went for ice cream. _'I wonder what it would be like to have ice cream with Sasuke...,' _the child thought distantly. Placing his chin into his hands, Naruto turned to look out the window. Now he just had to wait until school ended....

* * *

Sasuke fidgeted in his seat for the seventh time that day, obsidian orbs darting to the clock then back to Iruka-sensei's lesson. The brown-haired man glanced slightly in the Uchiha's direction, before turning to the rest of the class and fully explaining the problem on the board. Sasuke thought for a moment that the brunette might have noticed the child's restlessness, but he brushed it off quickly. Iruka-sensei was a bright man, but the Uchiha didn't think that even he could see how much the boy wanted this class to be finished with.

It wasn't so much about escaping from the stupid girls. With each passing day, Sasuke was getting more and more frustrated. He wasn't used to be people ignoring him, and he knew that this wouldn't go away until he did something about it. Which meant making sure that he wouldn't be ignored any longer. He looked to the clock again, and the raven felt himself frown at the moving hands. There was still ten minutes left to the school day. How much longer was this going to take!?

Sasuke huffed slightly, instantly looking out the window when Sakura turned to him with concerned eyes. He didn't want her care or worry, he just wanted the bell to ring so he could go find that little blonde before he left. But obviously, he couldn't make time go faster no matter how much the raven wanted it to, so he turned back to his notebook; quickly making a small note of something that Iruka-sensei said. If he only focused on his work, than perhaps the rest of the day would go by quickly and he'd be able to get out of this classroom. And then he was doing his homework, and was shocked when the shrill ringing of the school bell began, signaling that school was over.

Sasuke scrambled to collect his things, surprised he had zoned out long enough that he was unprepared for when the bell rang. So far things weren't going to plan and he felt himself get angry at his own incompetence. Sakura was chatting by his side, evidently talking to him, but the raven simply threw his things into his bag and pushed past her to the door. Kiba was already there, looking back and forth down the hall, before racing off with his mutt yipping from his hood.

The Inuzuka had been extremely sulky the past while, and even refused to acknowledge his two desk mates. Most likely that had to do with Hinata choosing Naruto over the brunette, not that Sasuke cared much about the dog-lover. He, himself, had his own problems to deal with involving the blonde and could care less about some pathetic bully. Turning at the corner, the Uchiha quickly dashed down the teacher's hallway, checking that the coast was clear before opening the hallway window and crawling outside. He liked to take this route because the window was directly next to the Academy trees, and he would be able to slip away from his crazy fangirls without any of them following him home. Today he wasn't heading straight home.

Sasuke jogged through the trees, circling about the school, slowing to a walk and sneaking a little closer to the tree line. Now he could see the gates of the school, and over to his far left was the large maple with the single swing. There was Kiba again, purposefully striding out of the gates, past the other children and parents. But he didn't care about that. Black eyes continued to scan the field. It was pure luck, or maybe it was Fate working, but Naruto came out of the side doors with Hinata, only feet away from where Sasuke was hidden.

With bated breath, the raven watched the pair walk closer to him, hearing their conversation but not actually absorbing anything that was said. His mind was racing, and his palms felt somewhat clammy. He didn't know exactly what he was going to do but he was going to do something no matter what. And then suddenly Naruto was right there in front of him, unaware of the Uchiha hiding in the trees. How strange that the blonde didn't notice him, considering the boy's uncanny sense of zoning in on the black-haired child's presence. But no matter.... The Uzumaki's bright blue eyes were wide open, his mouth stretch wide with a smile as he talked to the Hyuuga, who was shyly nodding her head and smiling softly in return.

"And then, Kakashi-nii-san was li-," Sasuke didn't give Naruto the chance to finish his sentence, reaching out of the safety of the trees and yanking the smaller child into the bushes.

* * *

Hinata had been casually talking with Naruto, both of them heading to the gate to be picked up by their respective family, when suddenly a pale arm reached out from behind a tree, grabbing Naruto and pulling him out of sight. The girl couldn't help but 'eep!' in fright and shock, hurrying to the spot her blonde friend had disappeared at and looking into the bushes. She was surprised to find herself face to face with Sasuke, who was looking overly annoyed trying to keep hold of a struggling Uzumaki.

"Go ahead," the boy said, cutting the Hyuuga off before she could start. "I'm just going to have a talk with him." Her pale eyes looked from Sasuke, to Naruto trying to bite the Uchiha's fingers off from around his mouth, back to Sasuke again.

Hinata didn't really want to leave her friend with the Uchiha, but this was the perfect opportunity for Naruto to finally befriend Sasuke. So, despite her anxiety, she nodded her head; looking up at the bigger raven fiercely. "D-don't yo-you d-dare hurt h-him tho-though," she threatened him. Blushing with embarrassment and surprise at her own bravery, Hinata quickly turned away from the two boys and scurried to the gates. Getting over the shock of having the Hyuuga heir actually attempt to threaten him, Sasuke let go of Naruto, watching as the blonde turned around to face him angrily.

"What was that for!," he shouted, trying to glare at the raven.

Sasuke thought the Uzumaki wasn't doing it properly but wasn't going to mention it to the irritated blonde. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to respond to the other boy's question. Naruto scowled at that, crossing his arms over his chest as well, respectively waiting for Sasuke to answer his question. They stood like that for a few minutes, not either one saying anything.

When Sasuke huffed angrily, Naruto did too. If Sasuke happened to shift a bit on his foot, then Naruto ended up doing the same not too long after. "Stop copying me," Sasuke ordered, having the blonde mirror his action again.

"I'm not," Naruto snapped back. The raven bit his lip, placing his hands on his hips. The Uzumaki did exactly what he did, and finally Sasuke couldn't stand it anymore.

"You're doing it again!," he shouted.

"Doing what?"

"Copying me!"

"Am not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!!"

"Arghhh, I didn't stop you so you could bug me!"

"Then why did you stop me?," Naruto questioned, leaning closer to the older boy.

Sasuke frowned, lightly pushing the other boy back a bit. "Why does it matter to you? What if I don't want to tell?"

"Well, that would be kinda stupid than," the blonde retaliated. "But if you're not going to say anything, I'm going home." The Uzumaki started to step out from the bushes, but the raven grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back, pushing the child against one of the trees.

"You're not going anywhere until I'm done talking," Sasuke said.

"What?! As if!," Naruto yelled, struggling wildly against the pale child's grip.

The Uchiha tried to get the other child to stop fighting but he couldn't do anything more than hold the blonde against the tree, and even then Naruto was struggling so hard that Sasuke didn't think he could hold the boy down for long. It was now or never... to say what he had wanted to say in the beginning.

"I, I'm not staying... here! If you have ....nothing to... talk to me ab-"

"My friend!," Sasuke shouted over Naruto's voice. "You're going to be my friend! I demand it!"

The Uzumaki fell silent, and so did Sasuke. He was so shocked by his own words. That hadn't been what he had meant to say, but the words had fallen out of his mouth anyways. Those cerulean orbs blinked up at him, Naruto's lips pursing into a pout.

"You pulled me here to _order_ me to be your friend...?," the blonde asked.

Suddenly self-conscious, Sasuke let go of the little boy, tucking his hands in his pockets and looking off to the side. "So? Your point?"

"I'm not going to be your friend because you _demand it._"

Sasuke turned back around to face the smaller child. "Of course you are!," he replied. He already dug himself a hole now by demanding that Naruto be his friend. Might as well carry on through with it, instead of backing down. But he didn't like the way that the blonde was refusing to obey him. "If I say you're going to be my friend, then you are!"

Naruto shook his head. "That's not how it works, you know," he said. "You can tell me as many times as you want, but I won't be your friend just because of that." The Uzumaki was starting to make him really angry now. Sasuke didn't want to stand here wasting his time any longer on the other boy. If Naruto didn't want to do as he said, then he was done with the child. He wouldn't think about the blonde from this day forward.

The raven turned away, starting to step out of the trees. Naruto couldn't believe it! Sasuke had been the one to first approach him and was suddenly demanding that the blonde be his friend. He wasn't even considering the boy's own feelings in this. And just because he wasn't going along with what the Uchiha wanted, the older male was getting all upset about it. Now he thought he was just going to leave?!

Naruto reached forward, and grabbed hold of Sasuke's arm, pulling at the limb. "Wait!," he shouted shrilly. The black-haired boy looked back in surprise, eyebrows arching into the ever familiar expression of annoyance. He looked up and frowned at Sasuke in return. "I'm not going to be your friend just because _you_ demand me to...," he started. He stopped for a second, smiling brightly up at the raven. "But I will be your friend because _I_ want to."

Sasuke felt his jaw drop open in shock. He tried to turn around to properly face Naruto, but ended up tripping over his own feet and landing on his bottom. He blinked up at the blonde, still having not gotten over his surprise. Naruto smiled down at him, chuckling with a whistle because of the gap in his teeth. "Why the face?," he laughed. He held out a hand to the raven, and mutely Sasuke accepted it, getting back up.

He wanted to say something, anything, to at least not make him seem so dumbfounded by the turn of events, but he couldn't find the words and then there was someone calling Naruto's name. "Naruto, Naruto!!" Naruto looked out of the trees, looking back at Sasuke for a moment.

"Time for me to go home," he said softly. The Uzumaki let go of the older boy's hand, and quickly pushed past the bushes. "See you tomorrow, k?," Naruto called over his shoulder. Not waiting for the Uchiha's response, he waved and ran out of sight. Still a little stunned, Sasuke leaned back against one of the trees, gazing down at the hand that had been clasped with the blonde's moments before.

* * *

Kakashi had been so terrified, waiting at the gate with no Naruto in sight anywhere. Kids were coming out constantly, but the jounin had yet to come across a familiar head of gold spikes. At first, that was alright, because he figured that the boy was just taking his time. But then the number of children coming through the gate slowed down to a trickle. Then he was a little worried. The Hatake didn't start panicking until a few minutes after he saw the Hyuuga girl come out and head home with her cousin.

Where was Naruto? He tried to keep rational about it all, but after the month's recent events, Kakashi wasn't able to keep himself level-headed. He went into the Academy, asking the teachers if they had seen the Uzumaki, but none had and the dog-nin felt his anxiety sky-rocket. He was so dead.... There was no doubt in his mind, no doubt within his soul, that his sensei wouldn't murder him cruelly and viciously for losing Naruto. While examining the school's beams (were they good enough to rope a hangman's noose from, he wondered) there was a tap on his shoulder, and Kakashi spun on the individual. "WHAT?," he screeched. Yeah... the panicking wasn't doing much for his social skills.

The brown-haired man flinched a bit, but held his hand out in any case. "Hi... I'm Umino Iruka. I heard you were looking for someone?" The man's soft voice calmed the jounin a bit, and he nodded his head. Iruka's eyebrows crinkled in concern. "If it's a child, I'd be more than glad to help you look for him or her," he offered.

Kakashi nearly wept for joy. None of the other chunnin that he had questioned offered to help in his search for the Hokage's son, and having this Umino-san come was like a blessing. "Thank you, thank you so much!," the grey-haired shinobi cried, shaking the brunette's hand vigorously. "I.. I'm looking for my sensei's son. Umm, five years old, about nay high... blonde, blue eyes, whiskers on his cheeks...."

Iruka gasped, hand flying up to his mouth in horror. "You lost the Yondaime's SON!," he hissed at Kakashi. He slapped the jounin upside the head with his file folder. "Are you stupid!! Do you have any idea of what you've done!?"

The Hatake blocked the next slap, holding his hands pleadingly in front of him. "Yes, I'm fully aware! But, but... it's not like I did it on purpose!!," he protested. "I was waiting at the front gate, but he never showed!"

Iruka frowned, slipping his folder under his arm, biting at his nail nervously. "Oh god... the Hokage's son," he whispered. "To lose the Hokage's only son is the very epitome of irresponsibility." Kakashi decided to ignore the glare from the brunette, knowing he deserved it very much right now. The Umino shook his head, sighing. "Alright, well... first things first. We'll sweep the school. If we're lucky, Naruto-kun will not have left the building. And if he has, let's pray he hasn't gotten very far."

That sounded like the best plan in the whole wide world. Like an accurate map to the Holy Grail. Kakashi quickly nodded his head, agreeing to what the chunnin said. Hell, he probably would have agreed to anything any rational person ordered him to do. His nerves were so shot, he just wasn't able to do any critical thinking himself. S-class nins he'd take on.... at least he knew he could handle _that_ without losing his mind. Iruka pushed at him roughly. "Well, what are you waiting for?," the teacher demanded. "Move it. We've got a whole school to search!" Kakashi scrambled to move, following the brunette's lead.

The pair had swept half the school, stopping outside of the teacher's lounge, and still there was no sight of Naruto anywhere. Kakashi was seconds away from a nervous breakdown, and Iruka was starting to feel a little anxious himself. A cold breeze made the brunette shiver, and he turned to see that the hallway window was open. "Sasuke-kun," he sighed. "I really wish the boy didn't constantly use this window."

Hatake perked at the raven's name, turning to the chunnin. "What do you mean?," he asked. Iruka closed the window, putting down the lock. "Sasuke-kun often uses this window here to leave the school. He does it to avoid the girls. You know they always take to bo-" Kakashi waved off the rest of what the man was going say.

"How does Sasuke get home?"

"Huh? Well, he usually walks along the trees and then when he's close enough he leaves through the gate, but -Hey, wait a second! Where are you going?" Iruka chased after the grey-haired male, running to catch up with the taller man's long strides. Kakashi didn't heed to the Umino's calling, instead he walked quickly down the school hallways, heading to the closest exit. He hadn't seen the Uchiha leave at all, and he's been standing at the gate long before school let out. That could only mean one thing: That the raven was still inside of the Academy grounds. And aware of the previous interactions between the black-haired child and a certain blonde, it wouldn't surprise the nin if Naruto had gotten side-tracked after running into the Uchiha.

The door hit the wall with a crash as the Hatake hurried outside, scanning the surrounding area intently. He only hoped that during the time he had spent searching for Naruto inside of the school, the blonde hadn't left the Academy grounds. Pin-pointing where the window that Sasuke crawled through was, Kakashi jogged to the closest trees, yelling Naruto's name. Behind him, a panting Iruka tried to keep pace with the jounin. There was a rustle among the bushes not too far away from the sharigan-wielder, and suddenly a gold-haired bundle was plowing its way into his side.

"Kakashi-nii-san!!," Naruto cried, jumping eagerly at the man's side.

Kakashi sighed with relief, scooping the child up into his arms. He hugged Naruto tightly, despite the boy's protests. "You're safe....," he said. Naruto wrinkled his nose, eyebrows drawn up in confusion.

"Of course I'm okay," he said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Iruka came to a stop beside them. "N-no... reason...," he huffed. He gave himself a second to catch his breath, before smiling at the blonde. "Hello Naruto-kun. Do you remember me? I was here when you came to the Academy to play before summer started." Naruto's face brightened up in recognition, and he nodded his head.

"Yep! I remember you. You are Sasuke's sensei!," the boy declared.

"Well, yes I am...," the brunette agreed. He glanced worriedly at Kakashi but the jounin only shrugged. Naruto was safe and unharmed. At this moment in time he could care less about the Uchiha kid.

"Anyways, we need to be getting home Umino-san. Thank you for all your help," Kakashi said, bowing slightly to the chunnin. Iruka blushed a bit, the scare across his nose darkening.

"No, no...," he assured, " no need to thank me. Just promise you'll keep a closer eye on Naruto-kun, and I'm good." Kakashi smiled under his mask, and the other man smiled in return. "Have a good evening."

Naruto said his goodbyes to Iruka-sensei, and Kakashi turned them in the direction of home, glad that the day was nearly over with. Watching until the pair had disappeared, Iruka turned back to the bushes where Naruto had come out of, peering past the shrubs and into the shadows of the trees. "Sasuke?," he called softly.

The raven stepped out into the open, staring distantly up at his sensei. Iruka, who had just been about to lecture the Uchiha, shrugged and smiled instead at the boy. "It's okay to want to talk with Naruto-kun... but please be considerate, Sasuke-kun. Naruto is the Yondaime's son, and he worries often about his son."

Sasuke flushed a little and stared down at his feet. "...sorry...," he mumbled softly. Iruka smile grew softer, and he ruffled the Uchiha's hair. "It's gotten a little late now. Your brother is still away on a mission right? May I walk you home?" The child nodded, and together the two walked towards the clan district.

**C.M.D: Well.... now Naruto and Sasuke are friends. Yay!  
....so, where will the story lead next? I dunno, but I guess I'll continue writing until I got nothing left in me. Definitely there'll be more chapters to talk about the beautiful friendship between our two favorite boys. ....yea... I've got nothing left in me to say. I really liked writing this chapter myself. Wanted to do something a little different with the beginning but it turned out alright all things considering. Ok... done talking now, so remember to review guys and tell me your thoughts. And hopefully, I'll get more out soon. Fingers crossed for inspiration!**


	13. Yessir, Yessir, Three Bags Full

**C.M.D: Man, it's been a looooong time. I haven't updated this fic since... since... about September! Wow, long... Anyways, thank you everyone who remains ever patient and is addicted to this fanfic like Naruto is ramen. Your constant vigilance makes me glow; and the reviews smack me in the back of the head with the reminder that I should hurry up and update instead of being lazy. Thanks! So, as per usual. THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING: KyouaxCloud, Yumi-nachan, Sukyuu, DarkSapphireXx, Enchanted nightingale, Inseperable Love, afallenheart, gevfuan, Sagerune Yagami, Mrs Hatake Itachi, GothAngel18, pervyprincess, jgood27, Stoic-Genius, eyes0nme19, Twinklebell12, brightsun89, Dancing Roses and Sunny Rain, Fire Dolphin, Q3APo, counter-intuitive, FallenAngel Sayu, allie, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, passionateartist, mochiusagi, SasunaruHOLIC, JuMiKu, Chaos Dragon-Fox, sakurarie, hanakisa, Sanz0girl, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta. Everytime I look around there's more and more of you guys! I mean, I like the stats and all... but it does get just a _little_ scary to see that many people like this fanfic. Pressure? What pressure?**

_**Baa Baa, Black Sheep,  
Have you any wool?  
Yessir, Yessir,  
Three bags full.  
**_

"Leaving now Sasuke?"

Said child turned around to look at his mom, just as he finished slipping his other shoe on. He stood, nodding his head. Mikoto smiled in return, reaching over into the closet. "Okay, then sweetie. But I want you to take your coat, alright?," she told him, handing the boy his jacket. "It's getting a little chilly these days and I don't want you to get sick now."

Sasuke wanted to whine at the motherly treatment, but he wasn't a baby, so he settled for a slight pout. His mother only laughed, wiping at her son's cheek to make sure he was properly cleaned up. "And here's a little something extra," Mikoto whispered, pulling two small packages of fruit-flavored gummies out of her apron pocket. She slipped them into Sasuke's coat, kissing the boy's forehead.

The young raven reached inside his coat, touching the treats. "Why two?," he asked, looking at his mom curiously.

Mikoto giggled, straightening back up. "Why, for you and your friend of course!" Her giggles turned to a light laugh as her son flushed bright red, turning on his heel and running out the door. "Have a good day at school," she called out to the flustered boy. He didn't even turn around to wave back at her like usual, but the woman didn't mind. She closed the door against the chill, heading back to the kitchen to clean up the breakfast dishes.

* * *

Jiraiya yawned as he walked down the street, a small bundle of sunshine singing loudly at his side and trying to swing from his arm. Usually the sannin was in higher spirits, even if he was conjoled into babysitting Naruto from time to time. Today, wasn't one of those days. The man glanced down at the boy by his side, feeling his lips pull down slightly in a frown. Naruto was an energetic, inventive and loving child... if a little oblivious. When he had come to the house this morning, the fox-carrier didn't even bother asking where Kakashi was, he launched into a boisterous greeting for Jiraiya, equipped with hugs and everything. Naruto still wasn't concerned with the Hatake... though the sannin was sure in a couple of days he'd be asking why the ex-ANBU wasn't coming around anymore. 'Oh, Minato...,' Jiraiya thought sadly.

The hermit had been given a run-down of the situation by his former student, and the sannin had gone and done his own research on the matter. (He was a stickler on these kind of things. Never trust one person's side of the story. Perception is a flaw towards the truth.) What he'd found out wasn't so far off from what the fourth Hokage had told him, but it definitely filled in some of the blanks. Kakashi had overstepped his boundaries with Minato and now was being barred from ever returning to the Uzumaki household and seeing Naruto. And in between all that, Naruto had managed to be bullied, put in detention, become temporarily mute and was back to speaking, but in full sentences! Jiraiya's head was still reeling. (He found himself more amazed at Naruto's speech though. The last time he was in Konoha, the little blonde had been talking in broken sentences, saying his name in baby babble. Now he was plain old Uncle Jiraiya.) The child certainly had a busy first month at school.

And maybe this was for the best. Jiraiya might keep his mouth shut, but he was with Kakashi on this one-hundred percent of the way. Minato was so lost in his grief... he kept hoping every day that Kushina's condition might change, that there might be a sign of activity happening in her brain. But even Tsunade, who was in tears that day after trying for hours, couldn't help the woman and told the blonde that she was gone. Minato had taken it so badly. Jiraiya tried not to sigh, turning his head from the street, to Naruto, and then to the sky. The only way that his student could cope with his pain at the moment was through denial; he couldn't accept any changes in his life. But time kept flowing, no matter how much Minato tried to make it seem like it didn't. The sannin worried that the Hokage might eventually snap... especially if Naruto changed any further out of the mold his father was trying to keep him in. This time, Jiraiya did sigh. These were not happy thoughts to be thinking first thing in the morning, but it wasn't exactly the happiest of times at the moment.

"Uncle Jiraiya...?," came the small inquisitive voice. "Is something wrong?"

The man shook his head, as if suddenly waking from a dream, and turned to the boy on his right. Naruto was gripping the hem of his shirt tightly in one fist, worried blue eyes looking up at him. He was causing the blonde unnecessary fear, Jiraiya realized, quickly plastering on a smile. "No, nothing's wrong," he answered, hoping to soothe the child. It didn't seem to work much. 'He's sharp,' the sannin thought, changing tactics. Naruto seemed to have a knack for seeing past lies. "And why are you frowning today? It's your birthday! You should be smiling."

The change of topic seemed to work, because immediately the blonde brightened, rocking on his tippy-toes in excitement. "Yeah, today's my birthday!," Naruto repeated loudly. "Daddy said he'll be home tonight and we can all have a big party." Jiraiya smiled, for real this time, placing a hand on the child's shoulder and steering him toward the school. "There'll be cake and presents," the blonde continued. "And we'll watch movies while eating ice cream! I can't wait!"

"... Hey, Uncle Jiraiya?" The man looked down at his charge. "Could I invite Sasuke? And Hinata?"

The sannin froze. Blue eyes were looking up at him still, blinking slowly as they waited for the answer, Jiraiya knew without having to look. But his whole mind seemed to have tripped over itself at the question and was hurrying now to try to find the appropriate answer. If he had been speaking to another adult, he would have simply replied, 'no.' As it was, Naruto was no adult, and even if he was, the man was sure he would still demand a reason. And this became all the more complicated because Jiraiya couldn't just tell the boy the truth- he wouldn't understand. And the man was just asking to be ostracized next if he did. But what to say, what to say? It was with a heavy heart that the hermit did the only thing he could do in this situation: he lied.

"No, not this time," Jiraiya replied, sinking to one knee in front of the child. Naruto opened his mouth, no doubt to whine in protest, but the sannin raised a hand for silence. "It wouldn't be fair to your dad," he explained. "Your dad is expecting only to have a party for a small family, so he wouldn't have enough for everybody. I'm sure he would be more than happy to have your friends come over next year for your birthday. But I also know that all he wants for tonight is to spend quality time with his son."

Naruto chewed his bottom lip quietly, as if slightly torn. But then the little boy shook his head, and was smiling brightly again. "Okay, I understand," he said. Jiraiya searched Naruto's blue eyes, but he couldn't see anything beyond the vibrant azure. He would have to guess that the blonde was truly happy about this all. A bell rang in the near distance. "Oh no," the Uzumaki gasped. He tugged harshly on the old man's hands, looking ahead of them worriedly. "C'mon Uncle Jiraiya. That was the bell! I don't want to be late for school."

"Oh, right," Jiraiya mumbled, getting to his feet. He picked the blonde up with him as he went. "Let's take a shortcut, shall we?" He grinned at the boy, before they both disappeared from the street, a few leaves swirling to the ground in their wake.

* * *

"And it was sooo cool! We were right there and then, like, we were in the playground!"

Hinata listened as Naruto gushed on about his walk to school, upon which the legendary Frog Sannin had used a teleportation jutsu to get the blonde to the Academy in time for the bell. Naruto's blue eyes were sparkling like crazy during his explanation, hands waving wildly in his excitement. The Hyuuga laughed a little behind her hand at the sight.

"Man," the boy sighed, finally calming down a little. "I want to do that again! Uncle Jiraiya said no at first, but he changed his mind once I reminded him it was my birthday."

Hinata blinked. "I-it's your birthday t-today?," she asked, hesitantly. Naruto beamed, nodding his head so hard that the girl had a disturbing thought that it just might swing off his neck with the momentum. She was silently relieved when the Uzumaki stopped.

"Today is my birthday!," he exclaimed merrily.

"Whose birthday?," came a voice. Both children straightened up in their seats, turning to look behind them. Sasuke stood behind their chairs leisurely, looking somewhat bored. All around the raven, younger children began to mumble about him, a few girls blushing at the Uchiha. Sasuke dutifully ignored them all.

Naruto, who had been glowing before, was positively shining now. He turned fully in his seat so he could better face the older boy, sharing his brightest, foxiest grin with the raven. "It's my birthday today!," he repeated. "I am finally turning six. Better watch out Sasuke: soon I'll catch up to you!"

Hinata blushed a little, trying not to smile, as she reached out for Naruto. Sasuke simply rolled his eyes. "Dobe... you can't catch up to me."

"Sure I can," Naruto argued.

"No, you can't," the other deadpanned.

The Uzumaki pouted. "And why not?"

He finally took notice of the quiet Hyuug poking him, and turned to the girl. Blushing under the scrutiny, Hinata stuttered to get out what she wanted to say."W-we were b-born i-in different ye-years. E-every year, e-everybody h-has a bir-birthday. S-sasuke-kun had o-one t-this year t-too... w-which me-means he'll s-stay t-two y-years ah-ahead of us," she explained.

Unsurprising to the dark-haired children, Naruto did not take kindly to this news. "That's not fair!," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I want to be in the same class with Sasuke!" Hinata smiled softly, and patted her friend's shoulder comfortingly. Sasuke, though, felt himself struggle to keep a neutral expression. Naruto's words had shocked the boy, and he could feel a slight blush coming on.

"I can't even have Sasuke and Hinata over for my birthday," the little boy continued to rant, pouting further.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. "And why is that?," he asked, actually curious. There hadn't been too many occasions where Sasuke got invited over to somebody's birthday party, not including the girl's of course, not that he would have attended them anyway. His dad hardly let him go to any parties outside of the family. It was interesting knowing that this tiny blonde that hardly knew him long, who he was greatly rude to as well, would really want the older boy over.

Naruto sighed. "Uncle Jiraiya says it wouldn't be fair to daddy. He says that my daddy only wants to spend time with me; just us family."

"And your mommy too?," Hinata asked.

The next moment was beyond anything that both children could understand. Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion, and the blonde looked at each of them individually, before finally saying, "What's a 'mommy'?"

Hinata began to stutter, fingers picking at each other. Sasuke himself, felt that this was a very odd question indeed and was silent for a moment. When Naruto looked at him next though, he spoke. "A mommy is someone, other than your daddy, who picks you up from school, and loves you; and gives you hugs and kisses, and fixes all your boo-boos," Sasuke said, trying his best to explain it in a way that he was sure Naruto could understand. The Hyuuga nodded her head in agreement to what the Uchiha said, and Naruto crossed his arms again in thought.

"I still don't understand," the blonde finally replied. Sasuke was tempted to smack a hand to his forehead but restrained himself from doing so. He looked pointedly at Hinata, and the girl, about to again approach this subject with Naruto stopped what she was doing.

"Naruto... don't you have a mommy?," Hinata asked instead.

The Uzumaki looked innocently confused. "I'm not sure," he answered, and he seemed unperturbed by this confession. Hinata immediately fell silent, withdrawing back inside of herself, and Sasuke felt like he wanted to hit the girl this time. That wasn't what he had meant for her to do when he had silently ordered her to stop. Now, she had made things worse.

"Is that... bad?," the little boy whispered, looking between his two friends. Hinata shook her head quickly and Sasuke did the same, but slower.

"No, it's okay," the Uchiha said. "Isn't it your birthday today? Shouldn't you be thinking about that?," Sasuke continued, trying to divert the conversation to something else. As was expected, this immediately caught Naruto's attention, who was all smiles and sunshine again.

"Today I am six!," he shouted out happily.

"Whatever...," Sasuke mumbled, trying to shake off his unease. Talking about no mommies made him uncomfortable. "Here."

He thrust out a hand, palm up, at Naruto's face. The blonde blinked at the close proximity of the fingers, before finally taking notice of the two packets in the raven's hand. With a cheerful cry, the Uzumaki picked up the fruit gummies and immediately tore into one. Sticking an orange one in his mouth, the younger boy smiled brightly at Sasuke in thanks. Sasuke couldn't help the blush that came this time, and he didn't even mind it when Naruto shared some gummies with Hinata, even if the treats were only for him. "I have to get back to class," the Uchiha said, hoping to escape now.

It had taken up all his nerve, and superb 'sneaking past Iruka-sensei' skill on his part, to leave his classroom during their lunch and come visit the blonde in his own room. But he had apparently used himself all up, and he was ready to return to his seat now, even if he did have to share it with Sakura. Naruto turned to him when the raven was beginning to sneak away. The boy smiled as he waved goodbye, before a tiny frown pulled at his pink lips. "Hey Sasuke...," the Uzumaki called.

Hesitantly, Sasuke looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"How come you shared your gummies with me?," Naruto asked, big, blue eyes dark with puzzlement. The Uchiha felt just a little spark of ire inside of him. Was it really that hard to see the motives behind his gift? Instead of getting mad, Sasuke plastered on a smirk, the same one he had been working to copy from Itachi.

"Dobe. Aren't we friends?"

He left the classroom dazzling with the brightness of Naruto's grin.

* * *

"I can't believe you baked a cake."

Tsunade ignored Jiraiya, carefully counting out six candles and placing them in perfect fashion around the cake. She positioned them around the mini ninja and the bright orange 'Happy Birthday', quite liking the mix of green, white and orange icing. One candle smudged the edge the cake's kunai, but the woman decided it didn't really matter. She figured Naruto himself wouldn't care either.

"I mean, seriously," Jiraiya continued, buzzing behind the slug princess. "You made a cake?"

"Alright!," Tsunade snapped, turning around to face the man. Jiraiya wisely stepped out of range. "I didn't actually bake the thing!," the woman confessed. "Shizune did. But I still mixed the batter and made the icing."

Jiraiya smiled wryly. "Thought so," he mumbled, clamping up when Tsunade shot him a glare. Minato laughed, coming into the kitchen.

"I can never keep my eyes off you two," the Yondaime joked. "You're like squabbling children."

Tsunade sniffed, turning back to the cake, stabbing the last couple candles into the pastry. "I am hardly a child," she retorted. Jiraiya illustrated how 'grown-up' the other sannin was in the background. "Though I whole-heartedly agree that the rest of my team are anything but," she hissed, catching sight of the man's perverted behaviour. Minato good-naturedly accepted the cake that the medicnin thrust into his hands, smiling even as the woman spun around to give the hermit a solid right hook. The blonde man was thankful that Tsunade held back just enough to not break the wall, though it was obvious she strained to do so.

"I'm glad you could both make it," the young man said, as the woman turned back around to take the cake from it.

"Don't worry about it, Minato," Tsunade smiled, walking to the living room. "I wouldn't miss my favourite boy's six birthday for the world!"

Helping his sensei from the rubble of yet another broken cupboard and crockery, the Yondaime thanked him as well. "Really," he said to Jiraiya. "It means a lot to me. With Kushina not being here...," Minato trailed off, his eyes dulling for a moment. But then he was smiling again, dusting off the the hermit's broad shoulders. "I'm glad that at least Naruto has other family to celebrate this big day with."

Jiraiya struggled to smile as well, but he could not shake the feeling of depression in his heart. He had watched as this successful man before him grew up, back when the blonde had been nothing more than a wee gennin sprout, and had really thought that things would always go Minato's way. Kushina's death -for that was what it was, though everybody denied it as best they could- had crippled his student more than any physical injury could ever have. Finally getting his lips to pull into something more than a grimace, Jiraiya led the way, into the living room where Tsunade was placing the cake on the table and doing some final last-minute touch-ups. Everything looked ready for when Naruto got home from school. There were orange and red streamers stretched from corner to corner, white and gold balloons bobbing from the ends of furniture. A pile of presents, ranging in size, color of wrapping and various degrees of being wrapped (Tsunade's being exceptionally perfect, Minato's average, and Jiraiya's just a tad from being pathetic) sat by the couch; awaiting the little hands that would tear them open and reveal their contents inside.

"Where's the birthday boy?," Jiraiya asked, sitting himself down on the couch with a heavy sigh. Tsunade glanced at him angrily, but he waved off the warning. He was getting old dammit! Something that Tsunade did not wish to admit.

Minato dithered here and there, hands fluttering over stryofoam plates and cups, all the way to the shiny bows attached to the presents. The whole time, a large smile plastered to his face. "He'll be here shortly. Sandaime was able to get some free time this evening and he wanted to come as well. He'll be picking Naruto up from school along the way."

As if on cue, the front door could be heard opening, and Minato hurried to the doorway just as a blur raced into the room, attaching itself to the man's legs. "Daddy!," Naruto chirped, giggling when his father reached down and swooped him up.

"Have you been good today!," the Yondaime asked, rubbing noses with his son. Naruto giggled some more, nodding his head.

"I was real good. Even Sarutobi-jii-san said so," the tiny blonde piped, pointing behind him. Sarutobi stood in the doorway, smoking from his pipe, a smile on his lips.

"Indeed. Naruto-kun was an exceptional child today," the old man reported. "His teachers had really nice things to tell me when I came." This news made Minato smile even brighter.

"Come. Let us start!"

* * *

Tsunade nearly dropped the plate, catching it unconsciously thanks to her shinobi training, and handing it to the child. Naruto was still looking up at her with big, wide eyes; just waiting to hear what she said. Nervously, the woman looked around the room and found that everyone else had frozen as well and were waiting just the same. "W-what was that?," she asked, hoping that she had simply misheard the boy.

Naruto repeated it without hesitation, and Tsunade knew she had been correct in her hearing the first time. "Auntie Tsunade... are you my mommy?"

The slug sannin laughed a little, sounding nearly hysterical to everyone else but the young Uzumaki. "Now why would you ask that?," she questioned, trying to avoid answering Naruto's question as best as she could.

Naruto peered a little around him, and noticing that all the adults seemed a little tense, hesitantly continued. "'Cause a boy at school said that mommies are people other than daddy that love me, and give me hugs and kisses, and make all my boo-boos better. Auntie Tsunade does that... does that make you my mommy then?"

She wasn't sure what to say. In the manner that Naruto had explained it, then yes, she could seem to be the boy's mommy. But in reality, she was far from it. Not knowing how to approach this, Tsunade looked up, trying to catch Minato's eye. But the blonde man was turned away from the group, his shoulders hunched and tensed. She could just feel the fear and animosity that was coming off the young Hokage. Before she could say anything though, Minato lunged out of his seat and stomped out of the room, slamming the front door behind him. Tsunade looked down in time to see Naruto flinch at the bang, swiveling back around to face her after watching his father leave. The child's azure eyes were wide open with confusion.

"D-do you not love me...?," Naruto choked. The woman couldn't be sure if the question was actually directed to her, or was for the man who had just stormed out. Either way, watching those beatiful orbs glisten with oncoming tears broke Tsunade's heart, and she lifted the boy up into her arms, hugging him tightly.

"No, no, no," she whispered soothingly. "That's not so Naruto. I love you very, very much." The boy snuffled, wrapping his arms around the medicnin's neck and hugging her back just as tightly. Tsunade let out a soft sigh. "I guess this means it's 'beddy-bye' time. Say goodnight to everyone Naruto."

Unlike usual, Naruto did not protest the action, mumbling his goodbyes from the crook of Tsunade's shoulder. Sharing an unreadable look with the men in turn, the sannin headed upstairs, cradling her precious bundle the entire way. Jiraiya seated himself on the couch once more, reaching under the sofa and pulling out a bottle of sake that he had carefully hidden at the beginning of the party. "...Wonder who told him about moms," the hermit mumbled, before gulping from the bottle. Sarutobi nodded his head in agreement, taking a particularly long drag from his pipe.

* * *

"Itachi, you're back?," Sasuke asked, walking into his brother's room. He looked up at the teen, hoping for an explanation. He wasn't expecting Itachi to be gone when he had come home; and he had desperately waited to talk to his nii-san.

Itachi looked over his shoulder, quickly changing his shirt before facing the smaller raven. "I went to go give Naruto-kun his birthday present." Sasuke nodded his head, showing that he understood. He was just a little envious that Itachi could give something to Naruto for his birthday, while Sasuke could not, though the younger sibling hoped that his brother did not know this. He wondered if Itachi knew he was now friends with Naruto... The older Uchiha smiled, picking up on Sasuke's thoughts, ruffling the boy's hair. "What can I help you with, otouto-kun?," he asked.

Sasuke looked up at his brother, glancing at his feet, before looking back up. A worried frown pulled at the child's lips, catching the teen's attention. "Nii-san...," the boy started in a soft voice, clasping his hands behind his back. "What does it mean if someone doesn't know what mommies are?"

Itachi felt something heavy settle into his gut. With a sigh, he seated himself on his bed, gesturing Sasuke to come closer. This would be a long chat.

**C.M.D: Not as long as the last chapter, but there was definitely some stuff going down now. Tension, tension, tension! Since the boys are friends now, you'll probably notice things starting to pick up pace a little. I wanted to wait until they had gotten to that stage before I started throwing more obstacles and complications up into the mix. At first, I wanted to write the whole birthday part scene, but no matter how much I tried I just couldn't do it. So I scrapped the whole bit, and just kept the beginning and ending. In either case, I quite like how this chapter turned out.  
Finally, Sasuke's age is revealed! For all those who wondered at the beginning, and didn't quite catch it this chapter:  
Sasuke, and most of the other kids are 7 -read that seven-going-on-eight- years old! Aren't you happy to finally have this knowledge?  
Right and as for the title... I thought, 'Yessir, Yessir' didn't really qualify for a title, so I decided to do the whole verse. Makes more sense to me anyways...  
Alright, so the regular drill. I hope you all enjoyed the newest chapter. Remember to REVIEW and tell me all of your glorious thoughts. Oh, and as well: There is currently a poll in my profile. I've posted a few summaries of my next fanfic ideas, and I would greatly appreciate it if everyone could vote for which one they would like to come out next. Thanks!  
So: Naruto doesn't know what moms are? How will this affect the boy from now on? And what about Yondaime? Even Sasuke seems a little disturbed by this knowledge... What could possibly happen next! As always, you'll just have to wait and see!**


	14. One for the Master

**C.M.D: I have finally hit 300 reviews. Scary... really, now. I'm happy so many people love this fanfic, but the number keeps growing, and I feel a little shiver run down my spine. I can only hope that I don't disappoint too many people each time I update. Anyways, moving on. THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING: Raiju5, EvilOverlord Barbie, Shinigami, NotThatWord, BrokenComatose, Mrs Hatake Itachi, chibinaru-sama, Sighcoe, Jooheika, AnonymousAuthor13, sakurabender, .Alpha, Loki.1827, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, Ilamay, Nayeli, jo, CottonCandySheep, Kitty20, Young Roy, Ai Enmaxjigoku shoujo, bluefynx, KyouyaxCloud, Mina Hikari, Chaos Dragon-Fox, YaoiYuriLover, Yumi-nachan, AnimelovingCat, mochiusagi, Kakashifangirlnumber1000, and GothicInuAngel01. I think I'm getting to the point where I won't be able to write all the names down for people who reviewed last chapter... Anyways, thank you for sharing with me all your thoughts guys, and thanks as well to the people who read, but don't review. Your stats still show up on my hits page.**

**_Baa baa, Black Sheep,_  
_Have you any wool?_  
_Yessir, Yessir,_  
_Three bags full._  
_One for the Master..._**

After his talk with Itachi, Sasuke devised a plan. He would show Naruto his mommy. And if he couldn't do that, then he'd make sure he got the blonde another mommy. Sasuke told himself he was doing this because Naruto was his friend, but the fact was that it made him really sad thinking about Naruto not having a mom. Sasuke couldn't even begin to imagine not having his own mommy around...

And the Uchiha really, really wanted to see Naruto always happy.

* * *

Naruto was being unusally quiet, Tsunade noticed. She wondered if it had anything to with last night, but shook her head at the idea. Of course, it was about last night. Minato hadn't returned at all after storming out of the house. Shizune had sent Ton-Ton later to inform the sannin that the Yondaime had spent the night in Kushina's hospital room. It was heartbreaking to know that's where the man ran to when he wanted to be alone.

Tsunade had to take a deep breath, and force the tears back. What use was it to find comfort in a dead woman, when you had a living son to care for? Perhaps the Slug Princess might of said something to the blonde Hokage, but she also knew that you couldn't force someone out of their grief. They had to overcome it themselves, or they would simply delve deeper the more people interfered. She knew from experience... having twice been in the same position as Minato.

Painful thoughts to be thinking first thing in the morning.

Tsunade sighed softly, lifting a hand and rubbing at her eyes. She had gotten little sleep last night. How could she? The only one who had even really slept was Naruto, and that was only because the boy had cried himself to exhaustion. Speaking of which... Tsunade looked down by her side, once again checking that Naruto was actually there. He was, though the silence would suggest otherwise. It reminded her of his temporary muteness, when she had again delivered bad news to Minato, explaining that there was nothing physically wrong with the little Uzumaki; and therefore, nothing she could do.

That had been a horrifying night for her as well. At the moment, Naruto seemed a little dazed. His eyes roamed over everyone in the crowd, stopping particularly on the couple young mothers out and about with their newborns. His grip on her hand tightened in those moments. Did the little boy understand the difference between those women and herself? Tsunade highly doubted it. Whoever had explained the role of a mom to the blonde hadn't done a very good job, leaving the child with a warped concept that could warrant any person a 'mother'. Still... the Uzumaki was smart and he could probably sense what was missing in his life now.

"Naruto...," Tsunade called. The boy did not even raise his eyes to meet hers. Perturbed by this a little, the woman continued. "We're almost at the Academy."

Naruto finally looked up at her, his blue eyes obviously distracted by something else. "...Okay," he answered, slowly. The rest of the walk passed in relative silence. Tsunade could think of nothing to say to a six-year old that would make things seem better. She was a shinobi; a healer... definitely not a mother.

When the red gates of the Academy came into view, the blonde was sorely tempted to turn in the other direction. Could Naruto even be considered emotionally stable enough for another day of school? Just as her muscles were beginning to tense, tendons readying in her legs, that small hand suddenly slipped out of her own. For a bewildering moment, Tsunade didn't know what happened.

"Naruto!," she cried, watching the tiny blonde run off. The woman quickly followed, pausing just past the school gate. Naruto was fast approaching a dark-haired child of similar size; yelling a quick greeting before wrapping his arms around the figure. The girl, Tsunade clued in a second after, shyly hugged Naruto back, sharing smiles with the blonde.

She was dumbfounded. The sannin watched a minute later as Naruto smiled and laughed with the girl, the two of them disappearing further into the mass of children; before the woman quietly turned and left. She had not expected to see a smile on the boy's face so soon...

With a tired sigh, Tsunade glanced back at the Academy. She smiled. Here she had been worrying herself over the school and how it would affect the Uzumaki. Yet, it seemed she had nothing to fear. If Naruto was able to smile and laugh again, so soon after last night, then this was the place that he should be at. He needed friends.

"I hope your father becomes aware of your light soon, Naruto," Tsunade whispered, hurrying on her way. Duties waited her at the hospital, but she'd be back for Naruto after school ended.

* * *

"Aren't you going to come inside?"

Kakashi started at the voice, turning his head and staring at the chunnin down on the ground below. For a moment, the Hatake thought about ignoring him, but decided against it. "Umino-san, correct?"

"Iruka is fine," the brunette answered with a smile. "Do you intend to cling to the wall like a spider, casting genjutsu on first-graders all day long, Hatake-san?"

The jounin blinked at the question. "Kakashi is fine," he replied, copying Iruka's words. With a final glance into the classroom, the shinobi released his chakra hold and dropped to the ground gracefully. Iruka was patiently waiting for him, brown eyes wide with curiosity.

"May I inquire as to why a shinobi such as yourself would be sneaking around the Academy?," the Umino asked, getting straight to the point.

"Blunt, aren't you," Kakashi answered, once again avoiding the initial question. He turned away from the teacher, heading for the gate. Now that he had been caught, he didn't see the point in lingering any longer. He didn't want to anger his sensei...

"You're just going to ignore me?," Iruka huffed, pulling up beside the other man.

Kakashi grimaced. "I'll sure as hell try."

Iruka frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Forgive me for pestering you, Hatake-san. But when someone is stalking children in my academy- especially the Hokage's son- I have a right to be just a little nosy."

_'You just had to say stalking, didn't you?'_ Kakashi thought. "How did you know I was even there?," the ex-ANBU inquired, finally stopping and turning to face the brunette. Iruka turned to him as well, carefully fixing the folders in his hands before turning his whole attention to the other man._ 'So anal...,'_ Kakashi commented subconsciously.

"Believe it or not," the Umino said, a bit of an acid tone to his voice. "My rank doesn't measure my skill. I could quite easily become a jounin if I so wished."

Kakashi, who was starting to become a little interested in this conversation, raised an eyebrow at this statement. "Then why don't you?," he asked, dropping the badly-hidden sarcasm. He had managed to sneak through the Academy's halls nearly the whole day. Not once had he been approached by any teachers. Was it merely negligence on their part, or was Iruka being sincere when he mentioned his skill? The brunette had seen past his genjutsu to find him hanging on the wall...

Iruka blinked at the question, possibly as stunned by it as Kakashi was by the thought that the chunnin might be stronger than his rank indicated. But then a slow, serene smile worked its way to the teacher's lips. "Because if I became a jounin, I wouldn't have as much time for my kids," he replied.

Kakashi nodded his head slowly. It was always about the kids... that's why he was sneaking around the school, trying to keep an eye out for the little fox-vessel, even after he had been ordered away. Iruka seemed to have noticed the jounin's contemplative silence, because he cautiously reached out and touched the man's elbow. "C'mon inside, and have a cup of coffee. School is about to let out."

Kakashi willingly followed the Umino, heading inside and to the brunette's empty classroom. When they entered, Kakashi flicked his one eye around the room, not understanding why there were no kids in it. "Last period is weapons training outside. One of the other sensei's is responsible for seeing all classes outdoors," Iruka supplied. He gestured for the ex-ANBU to have a seat, pulling a thermos out of his desk drawer, and two mugs.

"I hope you don't mind," he blushed, opening the thermos. "I've already added my milk and sugar to it. I wasn't quite aware I'd be having company." Kakashi really was more of a straight-black kind of guy, but he remained quiet as the Umino handed him a mug. He didn't want to be rude to someone who being nice to him. "I'm sorry if I'm being nosy," Iruka apologized, looking back and forth from his own mug, to the Hatake. "But I really must know why you were slinking around the school. It's a little suspicious, what with you using genjutsu and all..."

Iruka trailed off, and Kakashi only swirled his coffee around. He felt somewhat compelled to tell Umino the truth... the man seemed like he would understand. Perhaps that's why all his students liked him.

"Well, I mean," Iruka continued. He was obviously trying to fill up the awkward silence now, and Kakashi thought it to be a little amusing. "If you think about it, you were here the day before, picking and dropping Naruto off to school. And now you're watching him from the sh- Hey! Are you laughing at me?"

Kakashi quickly schooled his features, forcing the chuckles back. "No," he lied. It was interesting watching the Umino's cheeks darken with indignation, the scar across his nose turning a pretty color due to his blush. Almost... cute, if Kakashi had to describe it. Though Naruto would always top in his charts.

"Hmph! For an adult, you sure don't act like one. I've had students in detention who are more respectable than you!," Iruka said. The Hatake opened his mouth to retort, but was interrupted as the bell rang. It's shrill ringing pealed down the halls; quickly followed by the thunder that was hundreds of children being let out for the day. Once the bell stopped, Kakashi tried once more to reply to the Umino, but clicked his jaw shut when the classroom door opened. Sasuke, the first of his class to return from last period, paused in the doorway. He looked at his sensei, and then to the man sitting beside him. The child recognized the grey-haired shinobi; and wondered why the jounin wasn't waiting at the gates to pick Naruto up.

But nothing in Kakashi's features would reveal the answer to the Uchiha. And Sasuke- starting to feel a little worried that the ex-ANBU might realize he was the culprit behind Naruto's momentary disappearance the day before- quickly walked to his desk, gathered his things and left the room. Kakashi watched the raven like a hawk as he crossed the room, turning away to look out the window once the boy had exited. He waited patiently as the students came and went, keeping his eye on the heads in the crowd, looking for that one crown of brilliant blonde hair.

"Is it so wrong to have a friend?," Kakashi asked, breaking the silence. Iruka watched as the last of his students filed out of the room, before turning to again face the jounin. He could see nothing on the man's face, but could feel his confliction. Pondering on what to say, Iruka too, gazed out the window.

His eyes alighted on Naruto, who was at that moment running to Sasuke. The blonde looked happy, and even though Sasuke was trying to hide it, he smiled a bit as he turned to the younger boy. "How could it ever be wrong?," Iruka answered. "We all need someone we can trust and be honest with."

In his head, Kakashi was replaying the events of the previous night over again. His sensei had been so angry when he had told him that Naruto had made friends with an older boy. _But I thought you had agreed with me_, the dog-nin argued._ Didn't you say yourself that you were finally going to stop holding Naruto back!_

Minato's face had crumpled with anger._ I never said no such thing, _the Yondaime protested.

_So you're going to deny it now?, _Kakashi said incredulously._ I don't understand why you're so upset anyway. It was only icecream, to congratulate him on making a new friend!_

_It's because I am the parent! I was willing to overlook the school reports; but once again you've put your nose into business that doesn't concern you_, Minato yelled.

_Doesn't concern me? Sensei, I helped you raise Naruto since he was a newborn. I think it's only fair that I get a say in how he's raised. _Minato had bit his lip, turning dark blue eyes off of the ex-ANBU. Kakashi was glad for the reprieve, but even without the direct glare, he could feel the Yondaime's oppressive fury.

_I don't want him befriending strangers,_ the blonde seethed, gripping the kitchen counter tightly.

_What are you going to do?, _the Hatake had asked exasperatedly. _Storm into the Academy and demand that all the children keep away from you son, by Hokage decree? You'll break Naruto's heart!_ This seemed to do it. Minato swirled on the younger male, fist striking the jounin's cheek. Kakashi crashed to the floor, breaking a kitchen chair on his way down.

_Get out_, the blonde had spat._ I don't want you near my son until you learn some respect! And if I find out you've disobeyed me Hatake-kun, you _will_ answer to me._

He had fouled up again. With a sigh, Kakashi had gotten up and left his sensei's house. Not having stepped foot into it since. Realizing that Iruka had said something to him, the jounin pulled out of his thoughts and focused back on the outside world. He noticed the chunnin studying him, and sighed, getting to his feet. "Thanks for the coffee," he mumbled, handing the full mug back to the brunette. "I have to go."

Iruka quickly rose to his feet, putting both cups down and escorting the Hatake to the door. He quietly opened it for the ex-ANBU and smiled when the other tipped his head in thanks. "Kakashi-san," the Umino called, as the jounin started down the hall. Kakashi paused in his stride, looking over his shoulder at the teacher. "If you ever need to talk- _ever_- I'll be glad to listen," Iruka offered.

Kakashi blinked, before again nodding his head at the blushing man and continuing on his way.

* * *

Sasuke was happy to see Naruto. Having different classes imposed a problem on their communication, but things were alright as long as he saw the blonde before and after school. Even though befriending the other boy had been accidental -Sasuke's main goal was in trying to figure out why he was so bothered by the Uzumaki- he had started to grow used to the younger child's presence in his life.

The raven had been worried since last night, when he had approached Itachi about moms; and fidgeted throughout the entire school day. He wanted to make sure that Naruto's birthday had gone okay. Slipping out the school door, Sasuke deviated from his normal path; heading straight for the first year's hall. He spotted Naruto half way across the playground.

"Sasuke!," the little boy cried; catching sight of the raven. Sasuke stopped where he was as Naruto ran towards him, letting the Uzumaki hug him.

"Alright, alright," Sasuke said, pushing the blonde off of him after a moment. He looked down at the child. "How are you?"

Naruto grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I'm good," he chirped. "Itachi-nii-san came by my house last night. He gave me an action figure and a book of riddles. Does Sasuke have a present for me too?"

Sasuke, who was glad that Naruto's birthday party had gone well enough, was almost caught off-guard by the question. Big, cerulean orbs were blinking up at him, eager for what the raven would say. Heart beginning to race with panic, Sasuke scrambled for something say. "I-it's at home. I'll bring it tomorrow," he lied. And then winced immediately afterward, because now he had to get something for Naruto so as not to disappoint the child. The Uzumaki's smile that came after his words nearly blinded the Uchiha.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto called, thankfully, turning his attention to the Hyuuga. The girl took her place beside the two boys, smiling shyly at each in turn. "How was your birthday, Naruto-kun?," she asked. "I wanted to ask you before, but Mizuki-sensei wanted to start class right away."

"That's okay, Hinata-chan," Naruto answered. "I had fun!"

The black-haired girl smiled in reply, unzipping her bag and pulling out a baggie. "I'm very sorry that I couldn't stay for lunch too," she apologized. "But I made sure to bring back some cookies. My mom made them especially for your birthday." Hinata's smile almost dropped when she mentioned her mom, but kept it up as she handed the cookies to an ecstatic blonde.

"Thank you," Naruto shouted, pulling a cookie out and munching on it. Sasuke watched slightly disgusted as the other boy gulped down the processed sugar.

"Hinata...," a quiet voice interrupted. All three children turned to the new addition, gazing up at the older boy. His white eyes glanced at them all, before focusing entirely on the little girl. "Are you ready to go home?," he asked.

"Who are you?," Naruto inquired, peering closely at the bigger child. Hinata patted the blonde's shoulder, and he turned around to look at her.

"This is my cousin, Neji-nii-san. He is in one of the older kid's classrooms," she explained. "He walks me to school and home." At this point, she turned back to her cousin. "I'll just say goodbye first."

Neji nodded, then tipped his head to each of the boys in turn. "Uchiha-kun, Uzumaki-kun, have a goodnight," he said, turning on his heel and walking a few paces ahead.

"So... I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Naruto said, facing the Hyuuga girl. He reached out and hugged her quickly, pulling back with a smile. "Have a goodnight, Hinata-chan!"

"Y-you too," the girl replied, cheeks pink with a blush. She waved a little to Sasuke, then jogged to her cousin. The boys watched her leave for a moment.

"Do... would you like me to walk you home?," Sasuke directed to Naruto, peering at the blonde from the corner of his eye.

"It's okay. Auntie Tsunade said she'd come and take me home," Naruto beamed. The raven tried not to be disappointed, but he could still feel the frown forming anyways.

"Well, that's okay. I have training anyhow..."

"C'mon Sasuke, walk me to the gate?," Naruto asked. "I want to tell you all the presents I got." The Uchiha thought about refusing, but he abandoned it when the blonde took hold of his wrist and started leading him to the Academy's gates. He listened absently as Naruto rambled on and on about last night, smiling despite himself.

His smile faded though as they approached the busty woman standing at the gate. Sasuke was ditched for the older blonde, Naruto running into the open arms. "I was just walking him to the gate," Sasuke sniffed, when he noticed the woman studiously observing him. He wasn't about to let on to this stranger that he was anything more than a fellow student to the Uzumaki.

"Of course you were," she replied, quirking an eyebrow at the raven's feeble excuse. Sasuke refused to give her any ground though.

"Bye Sasuke," Naruto called from Tsunade's arms. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" The boy really wasn't good at catching on. Cover blown, Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Bye Naruto," he said, turning around and starting home. He was going to have to hurry so as not to be late for dinner.

* * *

Itachi walked soundlessly down the hall, heading towards his brother's rooms. His mom had beseeched that her eldest son look into the boy, who had been distracted all throughout dinner. Not that the teen wouldn't have anyhow. Sasuke could only be thinking of one thing. Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything to his otouto-kun last night...

Itachi paused outside Sasuke's room, knocking on the door. There was no answer. Frowning, the Uchiha opened the door to find the room empty. Where had Sasuke gone? A bang further down the hall drew the teen's attention, and Itachi flitted to the source of the sound. "Sasuke?" The dark-haired child was rummaging through boxes in the storage room, opening up long forgotten toy chests and spilling their contents onto the floor.

Itachi grimaced at the mess, looking from the pile of worn toys- was that Cherry, his train?- to his brother in the middle of it. Sasuke looked up momentarily at his name being called, but returned to his work immediately after. "Sasuke... what are you doing?," Itachi asked.

The little raven sighed in the back of his throat as he picked up a firetruck missing two wheels, throwing it behind him as he grabbed the next toy. "Nii-san, all of these toys suck," the boy pouted, rejecting three more toys simultaneously. Itachi rescued Cherry the train from his brother's selection process, tucking his treasured steam engine under his arm.

"But you've already outgrown these toys," Itachi pointed out. "Why does it matter if they're no good?"

Sasuke sighed over-dramatically, rising to his feet. "It matters a whole lot," the child cried. "I didn't mean to, I really didn't, but I just couldn't tell him I had nothing. Not after you gave him a present, and the Hyuuga even gave him cookies. And, I mean, I don't even know why I care, I didn't want to be his friend at all. But you weren't here nii-san, so I tried to talk to him and then we were friends. So, it's all your fault. And if I don't find something good for tomorrow, Naruto's going to hate me!"

Itachi, who watched as his brother ranted all this out in one large breath, couldn't help the small chuckle that slipped out. The frazzled boy did not notice it though, clasping his hands together as he looked imploringly up at his older brother. "Aniki, help me!," the little raven begged.

Itachi smiled, reaching out and flicking his otouto-kun's forehead lightly. "If you're so worried, then why not give him Usagi-kun?," he said to the pouting child. Sasuke blinked at the suggestion.

"Usagi... kun?"

The youngest Uchiha turned on the spot, picking up the black rabbit plushie that poked out from the pile of toys. He lifted it before him, studying the doll. The rabbit was in good shape, despite being slightly worn. There were no wears or tears anywhere, and its black button eyes gleamed still. A small tag under the tail sported the Uchiha clan symbol on one side, Sasuke's name on the other. "Usagi-kun...," Sasuke whispered. "I almost forgot all about him."

He turned to look at Itachi. "D-do... do you think Naruto will like him?"

The boy seemed hesitant; as if conflicted about giving the doll to someone else. Itachi was not surprised. Usagi-kun had been Sasuke's since he was a baby. "I'm sure that Naruto-kun will treasure Usagi-kun, and love the rabbit very much," Itachi answered truthfully. This seemed enough for the small raven. He looked at the doll in his arms, snuggling it quickly, before drawing back with a resigned sigh.

"Okay... I'll give him to Naruto," Sasuke announced. Smiling, Itachi turned to leave the room.

He stopped in the doorway, blocking the path of his brother, who was following behind in the elder's footsteps. He turned to face the child, steering him about and back into the storage room. "Not until you've cleaned up that mess, otouto-kun," he told the boy. Sasuke frowned and stuck his tongue out at the teen, but walked back to the mess of toys to get started with his task.

**C.M.D: So... this chapter felt a little bit like a filler to me. I did include some points that dear readers were kind to point out to me were missing, but other than that, nothing happened much. I like writing some of the parts though... like Iruka and Kakashi's bantering, and Sasuke's freaking out. They make me smile even as I think about them. Anyways, I hope that at least everyone will enjoy this chapter. My updates may be a while inbetween, but I will do my best to keep the break between them as short as possible. That's all I really have to say this time, so I will just wrap this up. Remember to review everyone and share with me your thoughts!  
Oh, before I forget... since I find myself coming back here and reading fanfiction non-stop during one of my lulls, I've decided to become a beta-reader. It's one of my pet peeves, having too many grammar and spelling mistakes in a piece of writing, especially when it's a really good story. So, yea... that's all I wanted to say. Ja ne everybody!**


	15. One for the Dame

**C.M.D: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! AND HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL!**

**_Baa Baa Black Sheep,_  
_Have you any wool?_  
_Yessir, Yessir, _  
_Three bags full._  
_One for the Master,_  
_One for the Dame..._**

Winter quickly descended upon the village, sneaking up on the inhabitants one night while they were sleeping. Though there was no snow -they were too far south for it after all- cold winds swept down from the north all the same, nipping harshly at exposed flesh and making noses run. The ninja village was facing its most fearsome enemy yet: the Flu. Infection was at its all time high now, and the Academy was dealing with the approaching epidemic as best as they could. Children were bundled up, heaters turned on full-blast and tissue boxes littered every teachers desk. All measures were being taken. Still for all their efforts some kids were bitten by the cold bug and had to be escorted back home, where they would then be tended by their parents.

Sasuke wasn't quite as lucky.

* * *

The machines beeped and whirred and made all manner of other noises around the child; pushing deeper and deeper into his head, promising to be a powerful headache later on. But the noise wasn't the most frustrating thing to the boy. No, it was the spinning and fuzziness filling his head; the unbearable heat covering his body contrasting the iciness of his toes and fingers, and the rolling, bucking queasiness of his stomach. All in all, Sasuke knew without a doubt that he was sick.

A gentle hand pushed away his bangs, and the child forced his eyes open to stare up at the figure leaning over his bedside. Mikoto's face peered down into her son's; brown eyes crinkled with worry, a wry smile on her lips. "Oh Sasuke," she whispered softly, taking care not to speak to loudly, "How is it that you managed to get so sick? You're such a healthy boy."

Blue eyes and blonde hair came to his mind, but Sasuke did not mention it to his mom. He was busy trying to keep the rising vomit down. Eventually, the boy lost the fight, and his mom held him upright as he puked into a basin. She rubbed his back soothingly as he hiccuped in disgust, wiping at his eyes angrily.

"Don't worry about it, otouto-kun," came Itachi's voice. The ANBU stood off to the side of the room, hands crossed behind his back. He had requested the day off from the Hokage, so that he might come and visit his younger sibling in the hospital. He knew the boy would need the extra assurance. "Even the best of shinobi get sick sometimes," the bigger raven comforted.

The older boy stepped forward to help lay his brother down in bed, while Mikoto took the basin out of the room to dump it. Itachi sat himself in the chair by Sasuke's bed, smiling at the child encouragingly. Sasuke only frowned back, eyes swollen and nose bright red. "I don't like being sick," the little raven grumbled hoarsely. He swallowed and could taste the bile left behind from his own vomit. He frowned deeper at the after-taste.

Itachi reached over and gently flicked his otouto-kun's forehead. "I know," he answered. "Naruto's worried about you. He was so upset to hear that you were taken to the hospital."

Sasuke snorted. "Good. He should be upset; he made me sick in the first place."

"Now, now otouto-kun...," Itachi scolded kindly, ruffling the child's black hair. "You know as well as I do that Naruto-kun did not mean to make you sick. So be nice to him, okay?" Sasuke only pouted at the reprimand and the bigger boy leaned back in his chair. "He really likes Usagi-kun, doesn't he?," the shinobi added as an after thought.

Sasuke didn't reply. He didn't know what to say, but the memory brought another kind of heat to the boy's cheeks. Ever since he had given that rabbit to Naruto, the little boy had treated it like the most precious thing in the world. He toted it around with him everywhere -even to school- much to the Uchiha's embarrassment. Still, the Uzumaki loved Usagi-kun; and either ignored or was oblivious to the other children's teasing. Sasuke believed it to be the latter. Thinking about the blonde brought another thought to mind; one that made the raven's stomach do those nauseating flip-flops again. He glanced about the room anxiously, noticing that his mom had not yet returned, before fixing his attention back on his brother.

"A-aniki...?," the boy whispered. The ANBU peered curiously at the child. "W-why... why doesn't Naruto h-have a mommy?"

Sasuke lowered his eyes when he saw Itachi stiffen slightly at his question, the older raven exhaling slowly. What a dilemma. It was obvious that the younger Uchiha was feeling stupid for opening his mouth -it was written all over his flushed face- and even Itachi was feeling thrown. He had thought all the "mom" discussions were over, but it seemed that the boy wasn't quite finished and indeed had come up with a lot more questions. Knowing that this could equal nothing good, the shinobi shifted in his seat, folding his hands together in his lap. How to approach this...? "I... don't quite understand what you mean, Sasuke," the ANBU started slowly. "What do you want me to say?"

Sasuke raised his eyes back up to the older raven, biting his lip as he tried to figure out what to say. The words were hard to come by, and even then, his head was beginning to ache the longer he tried to formulate his sentence. "We... have mommy, and she's always there," the child finally managed to mumble out. "B-but... Naru doesn't. Why? Where is his mommy?"

The fever seemed to be returning full force again. Sasuke's features were paling incredibly again, a cold sweat clearly visible on the boy's brow. Itachi rose to his feet, gently pushing his brother down onto the mattress. He pulled up the sheets, tucking his otouto-kun in; pushing the damp, black bangs out of the younger's face. Sasuke did not resist the motion, but instead grabbed the older raven's wrist, looking up at his nii-san imploringly. "A-aniki...," Sasuke whimpered.

Itachi sighed. "Sometimes... people have to go away Sasuke. We can't stop it; it's impossible. Naruto's mom... for her, it's the same. I know she didn't want to leave Naruto." The ANBU paused, falling into a contemplative silence. He wondered how much he could say to his brother; how much the child would understand... and how much he was entitled to tell. There was only so much he knew about Kushina, after all.

"Let me tell you a story," the older boy began again. "Just a little bedtime story, okay?" Sasuke did not protest, so Itachi continued.

"Once upon a time, there was a King and a Queen. The King was called Sun for his brilliant yellow hair, and the Queen was called Rose for her own red head. They lived together in a beautiful kingdom, surrounded by extravagant forests and protected by the strongest soldiers in the land."

"How strong?," came the weak inquiry.

Itachi smiled. "Very strong," he assured the child. "No other kingdom could fight these soldiers, who were trained and blessed by the greatest of talents. But it was more than great soldiers that brought peace to the kingdom -it was also the astounding kindness and love of the King and Queen. All those around them would be touched by their light and warmth; happiness filled their lives."

"Though nothing could compare to the joy everyone felt when Rose gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. They called him Star; he had the same light and warmth in his heart like his parents, the same brilliant gold hair. But trouble fell on the kingdom," Itachi told, lowering his voice respectively. "The Queen fell into a terrible illness that no one could cure. The kingdom mourned the loss of their Queen, but none more so than the King himself. He became lost without Rose, and it seemed like the kingdom might then fall into ruin. Yet, he still had little Star and everyone hoped it would be enough after some time."

Sasuke yawned a little, shifting slightly under his brother's soothing petting; trying to get more comfortable. "What happened to the Queen though?," he mumbled tiredly, straining to keep his exhausted eyes open. Itachi chuckled a little, tweeking the younger one's nose lightly. The child made a tiny sound of annoyance.

"Unfortunately," the ANBU explained sadly, "there was nothing to be done for the Queen. But the King could not be persuaded to let her go; and so, he locked her up in a white palace, away from the rest of the world."

"A-and... _yawn_... the Star?"

"The Star remained by the King's side, small and tender still, burning with all his brilliance. Yet it seems that the tiny Star's flame might be snuffed out by the King's protective hold, because of how afraid he is of losing his little boy; and if that is to happen... then there will be no light to lead the King out of the night and into the day once more."

Itachi fell quiet as his story finished, staring down and noticing that his otouto-kun had finally slipped off to sleep. The raven's eyes softened at the slumbering child below; leaning down to kiss the boy's forehead and tuck the sheets more securely around his tiny form.

"Is he asleep?"

The shinobi straightened up, turning to the doorway as his mother walked back into the room. In Mikoto's hands was a clean basin. "The nurses gave me a clean one," she said, lifting the basin in her hands slightly. "I'm glad to know that he's finally gone to sleep," she continued, turning her attention to her youngest son. "He's always so fussy when he's sick... never resting as he should."

Itachi smiled wryly at the comment. "Was I that bad as well?"

Mikoto giggled lightly, walking over to Sasuke's bedside. She placed the basin on the night table, brushing a stray bang away from her baby boy's face. "Not in the same aspect, no. But you were still a handful to deal with when you were sick. Restlessness seems to run in the family." The woman sighed, and slowly reached for her coat that hung over the railing at the foot of the bed. "Visiting hours are over," she said. "We'll have to leave for now."

The teen walked over to his mother's side, gently steering her out of the room. "The nurses can take care of Sasuke. He'll be fine," he assured the woman. Mikoto peered over her shoulder all the same as they left, staring longingly at her smallest raven.

"I know... but all the same, I feel better when he's at home with you and me."

"Indeed," Itachi agreed. He hoped his little brother would be well again soon.

* * *

It should be noted beforehand that Uchihas were not the best at sitting still. They believed that time spent sitting and wallowing about could be time better spent on improving one's self -whether that be through training or other such activities. Sasuke was a perfect example of this. Because of the approaching christmas holidays, there was no homework for the raven to do, and Sasuke refused to lie around in bed all day doing nothing; sick or not. Taking Itachi's bedtime story to heart (Sasuke knew it to be a test of his shinobi skills. A coded message for him to decipher on his own), the child had prepared to set out and complete his mission of finding Naruto's mom, before his own mom came to visit him that afternoon.

The first clue: The Queen being put in a white castle.

This came easily to the little boy. The white castle in the story could only have been the hospital. Not only was it a little ways away from the rest of the village, but almost everything inside of it was white. The walls, the doors, the equipment... With this established, Sasuke knew his quest would be easier. When his nurse came in to check up on him and give him his medicine, the raven decided to stall and question her with as much subtlety that a seven year-old could manage. It proved effective enough. The nurse, charmed by the Uchiha's adorable features and large, innocent eyes, thought nothing of the questions asked of her. She answered them all without hesitance as she checked the raven's temperature and measured out a spoonful of cold syrup.

"So there are even sicker people here?," Sasuke gaped in perfect imitation of one of his denser classmates.

The nurse chuckled at the cute reaction. "Oh yes. Not just little boys and girls have to come to the hospital when they're sick, but big Shinobi too," she answered. "They go to a different section though, so that they can be looked at by the Medic nin."

"B-but," the Uchiha protested, "this is such a big place! How do the shinobi know where to go when they're sick?"

"They follow the signs. The hospital has signs at all the elevators and at each of the nurses' desks on every floor. The signs tell you where you need to go to get the help you need. When the shinobi come in they usually head for the ICU floor upstairs."

"Is that the very top floor...?" Sasuke slipped in, hoping it was not too soon for such an inquiry.

Oblivious as ever, the nurse did not catch on to the Uchiha's ploy. "No, no," she smiled, shaking her pretty, little empty head. "We have another floor above that, for all of our terminal patients. They are people that can't go home and have to stay with us for a very long time until they're all better. The top floor is made especially comfortable for them."

Sasuke didn't know how true this was, but he decided he didn't really care because he had finally gotten the answer he needed. If Naruto's mom was anywhere in the hospital she would probably be on the top floor, as far away from everyone else as was possible, just like in the story. Pretending to take the sleeping medication that the nurse had given him, the raven snuggled back under the covers and feigned sleep until he was sure that the coast was clear. Gracefully, like the third-grade shinobi wanna-be that he was, the child crept out of his room and down the hospital hallway. He avoided the nurses' desk at the end, ducking into open doorways whenever one of the staff came walking down the hall. With his measure of skill, he was able to escape all notice, and triumphantly Sasuke found the stairs. As empty as they were, he was able to run up the steps freely, all the way to the last floor.

The door creaked slightly as Sasuke opened it, and he couldn't help but cringe slightly at the sound. His black eyes searched the hallway warily, looking for any personnel that might pose a threat to his mission. But there was no one to be seen, and even less to be heard. Sasuke frowned at this little bit of news, slipping around the side of the door and onto the empty hallway. He padded undeterred down the white halls, wandering through the bland maze aimlessly. After a while, the Uchiha gathered enough courage to open up doors instead of just peering into open doorways. Most of the rooms though were empty... Still, the raven kept his eyes open for anyone with red hair, like a rose.

Eventually, he was successful.

The door opened soundlessly, admitting the black-haired child. Cautiously, Sasuke stepped into the room, seeing or hearing no people. The whirr and continuous beep of hospital machines met his ears; a familiar and assuring sound. Aware that at least someone was here, the Uchiha wandered further into the room, to the white curtain surrounding the source of the noise. He gently nudged the curtain aside, stiffening in surprise. In the bed, plugged in to so many wires and tubes, was a woman. A woman with red hair.

She looked very sick. Sasuke frowned sadly, hesitating, and eventually stepping back. He didn't think he should approach the sleeping woman. Her skin was very pale and waxy looking, her hair thin and stringy around her face. But the most disturbing thing about the woman was how little she stirred... it was hard to see that she was even breathing. Still...

Sasuke thinned his lips in determination, turning around and heading back out of the room. He had accomplished his goal, that was all that mattered. Best that he returned to his own room now before the nurses caught on to his disappearance.

* * *

Naruto woke up that morning to misty blue skies and grey clouds hanging on the horizon. The wind was chilly when he opened his window, enough to plume the child's breath and make him shiver slightly. Shutting his window against the cold, Naruto grabbed Usagi-kun off from his bed and hurried out of the room. "Ohaiyo, Uncle Jiraiya!," the blonde chirped as he bounded into the kitchen.

The sannin raised his head from the kitchen table top, grumbling nonsensically in annoyance. All the same, he forced a smile onto his face, rubbing his blood-shot eyes tiredly. "Hey, kiddo," he greeted gruffly, reaching across the table for his glass of water and another painkiller.

The Uzumaki padded up to the old man's side, hugging the black rabbit tightly to his chest. Canting his head to the side, brushing his whiskered cheek against the velvet ear, he peered up at the shinobi curiously. "Where's daddy?," he asked. The blonde had thought his father would be here today.

Jiraiya finished what was in his glass, exhaling loudly. "He went to the office," he answered. "Naru, be a dear, yeah and speak a little softer please? My head's killing me..."

Naruto pouted, and shifted his hold on the rabbit. "Sasuke's sick. Can I go see him today? Auntie Tsunade wouldn't let me yesterday..."

Poor Jiraiya, hungover as hell, hardly registered the blonde's question. The sounds morphed into a drill, driving deep into his skull and causing him tremendous pain. This, more than anything, annoyed the older man. He had spent the night down at the bar, later heading for one of the hostess' clubs; intent on relaxing and enjoying his free time. He had only gotten the call this morning from Minato, asking him if he would do some emergency baby-sitting. Only because he was afraid of saying no, did the sannin agree to watch the little Uzumaki. Grumbling at himself angrily now, Jiraiya only shook his hand at the blonde callously. "No, no," he groaned. "Listen, go... I dunno... go do something. Alright? Just...urgh..."

Jiraiya folded over the table, his headache worsening. Beside him, Naruto pouted; turning about on his heel and stomping out of the room. Naruto didn't know what was happening with all the adults around him. He said one little thing, and suddenly everything seemed to change. Auntie Tsunade held him more often, cooing and petting the boy's head of blonde spikes; turning his attention away from the other women when they were outside. He hadn't seen Kakashi-nii-san in a while, and his absence was beginning to upset the Uzumaki. He was used to the masked shinobi being in his life. Even worse, it seemed like his daddy was constantly upset; going to the Hokage tower more and more often. And every time Naruto opened his mouth to talk about the things he did at school; the expression on his dad's face -though appearing eager- cowed the child before the words could even get to his tongue. He couldn't even bring up Sasuke.

The thought of the raven made the blonde frown further. Naruto headed back upstairs to his room, entering and sitting down on his bed. He held Usagi-kun out at arm's length, studying the coal coloured rabbit. When Sasuke had given him the doll the next day, as the Uchiha had promised, Naruto could not have been happier. He immediately fell in love with the velveteen doll, cuddling its soft fur and petting its delicate ears. Now he carried it with him everywhere, unwilling to part with the beautiful plushie, even for a moment. It gave him courage and comforted him when Sasuke was not with him.

Studying it now, Naruto could not help but feel terrible still even with the rabbit's presence. "'Suke is sick...," he whispered to the doll, reverting to his baby talk. "Me sorry... Me wanna see 'Suke, but e'ryone ignores me. No one let Naru see 'Suke... M-me no like it."

The blonde wiped angrily at his eyes, trying to get rid of the tears that had risen. "Well, I no care anymore!," the Uzumaki told the rabbit, pulling Usagi-kun close to his face again. He mumbled to the doll secretively. "We will go see 'Suke, yes?" The plushie was expectedly silent, but Naruto took it to be confirmation all the same. Feeling multitudes better, the little boy jumped to his feet, twirling the rabbit around the room. Once he was dizzy enough, the blonde scrambled to get dressed and tip-toed down stairs once again. Peeking into the kitchen, he saw that Jiraiya had finally passed out on the table top.

Grinning to himself, Naruto hurried to the door, slipping his shoes on.

* * *

Sasuke sat up in bed surprised, blinking uncertainly at the rabbit sitting on the edge of his bed. "Usagi-kun...?," the raven started hesitantly.

He bit back the yelp as gold spikes jumped up along the side, blue eyes just peeking over the white sheets. "Hello Sasuke!," a vibrant voice chirped. Waiting until his heart had calmed down again, Sasuke inched closer to the edge, staring down at the floor. Naruto, dressed in simple black pants and a baggy orange sweater, grinned up at the Uchiha.

"Naruto?," the raven gaped. "How did you get here?"

"I walked," the blonde answered immediately. He pulled Usagi-kun off the bed, tucking the rabbit securely in his arms. Sasuke frowned at this, pushing the sheets off and slipping out of bed. Naruto lowered himself back onto his heels as Sasuke's feet touched the floor, turning to face the Uchiha. Checking to see that no one had noticed the blonde's presence, Sasuke quickly pulled Naruto off to the side, a smile lighting his face. A smile that quickly shrivelled.

"You're shivering," the raven noted. Naruto blinked his eyes up at the older boy, all innocence and confusion. Sasuke frowned and quickly raced back to his bed, grabbing the nightgown offered to him by the hospital and then back to the blonde's side; where he threw it over the Uzumaki's shoulders. "Dobe," Sasuke grumbled, "You should have worn a coat. Do you want to get sick too?"

Naruto shook his head, nuzzling the fuzzy sleeves in gratitude. "Thank you, Sasuke," he cooed, cuddling up both with the night gown and Usagi-kun. Sasuke tried not to blush.

Trying to get back on track, the Uchiha grabbed the blonde's wrist and led him to the door. When Naruto went to open his mouth, Sasuke gestured for the boy to be quiet; sneaking a glance out of the door and down the hall. There was a lot more doctors and nurses walking about now, but they were thankfully further down from the room still. Carefully, Sasuke tip-toed out of the room, dragging Naruto behind him. "I have a surprise for you," the raven whispered excitedly to the Uzumaki, reaching the stairwell door.

"Surprise?"

"Yeah," Sasuke grinned, as they headed upstairs. "You'll never guess it, but I found someone special to you."

"Someone special?," Naruto mumbled in puzzlement. The child let himself be led by the Uchiha, gazing down at Usagi-kun in curiosity. "Who could that possibly be? Kakashi-nii-san?"

No matter, Naruto thought, deciding to let himself be surprised. He was already feeling hyper from making it all the way to the hospital on his own, and now him and Sasuke were on an adventure! Adrenaline pumped through the blonde's body, making him jumpy with joy. Sasuke himself was gaining an extra bounce in his step. He thought being sick was a real hassle, but already he had achieved so much! He had given Naruto a birthday present, he had found the boy's mom... and now he was about to introduce the two individuals! Would Naruto's mom, like the princesses in the fairytales, wake up when her baby boy entered the room? The Uchiha hoped so. He wanted Naruto to be happy, and he was certain that this would make it so.

The trip upstairs seemed faster than before, and when they reached the last floor, Sasuke did not bother to check first if there were any nurses about before exiting the stairwell. Fortunately, there were none still, and the children were unobstructed in their quest. It took him a moment to find the room again, the Uchiha getting a little turned around in his excitement, but eventually they stopped outside the right room. Sasuke, puffing his chest out in pride, faced the blonde; grinning in victory. "Inside is someone who has been missing for a while, someone really precious to you," the raven said, nodding his head sagely. "Naruto, I have found your mommy."

The Uzumaki blinked, slowly absorbing this information. When it finally sank in, he frowned slightly, gripping Usagi-kun in a death-like vice. "M-my mommy...?," he whispered in hopeful disbelief.

Sasuke took Naruto's hand again and led the blonde into the room. Everything was exactly like before, but the very air seemed charged this time, as if something had been waiting all this time for these two to enter. Slowly, the bounce in his step faded and Sasuke approached the white curtain solemnly. He pushed it aside carefully, crossing the threshold with Naruto at his side. Together, the two boys stared up at the slumbering woman on the bed. "I-is... is she sleeping?," Naruto whispered from the raven's side.

Sasuke nodded his head, not tearing his eyes away from the redhead. "Yes. Like a princess."

"W-will she... will she wake up?"

"...I dunno," Sasuke answered slowly. "You want go say hi?"

He looked at Naruto now, the blonde glancing anxiously at Sasuke as well. Pushing his face into Usagi-kun's fur, the little blonde pondered the action. "Yes...," he meekly said after a moment. "I want to talk to her."

Sasuke squeezed Naruto's hand encouragingly, and led the Uzumaki closer to the bed. He let go of Naruto's hand to push the only chair in the room closer to the bed, helping the blonde up onto the plastic seat. From there, the Uzumaki crawled onto the mattress, settling down nervously beside his mother's shoulders. Sasuke clambered up onto the chair after it had been vacated, sitting down. He smiled softly when Naruto glanced back down at him. "I can cover my ears if you'd like," the raven offered.

A smile struggled its way onto the Uzumaki's cheeks, and Naruto shook his head, gesturing that the action was unnecessary. Taking a deep breath, he faced his mom again. This was the first time that the child had ever seen Kushina, but despite all that, the blonde knew without a doubt that this person was his mommy. Tears sprung to the little boy's eyes, and he took another shuddering breath to calm himself down. "H-hi mommy...," he choked, hugging Usagi-kun tightly. "I d-don't know if you know me... b-but, it's me; it's Naruto. Ho-how are you m-mommy? Sasuke -he's my bestest friend, see. He gave me Usagi-kun for my birthday- he brought me here. He s-says that you sleep like a p-princess... You look like one. A p-princess, I mean. Y-you're really pretty..."

Naruto trailed off and Sasuke respectively remained silent. The demon carrier toyed with the rabbit plushie's legs distractedly, before glancing up at his mom again. "I-i... I hope you wake up soon mommy. I-it's almost christmas... I wish y-you could home with us. I know daddy w-would like it v-very much too."

Smiling, Naruto reached out and took hold of one of Kushina's fingers. For along moment, he simply held her finger, not saying anything. "I-i'll come back and see you mommy, n-now that I kn-know you're here," the Uzumaki promised, nuzzling Usagi-kun nervously.

"I missed you, you know," the boy continued softly, "I r-really, really did. But it's okay mommy, 'c-cause you're here and... and I love you. I love you so much mommy."

For a second it looked like Kushina was smiling, and Naruto couldn't quell the little giggle that rose up at the sight. His whole insides buzzed with warmth, making the child feel light and secure. A great feeling that he had never experience before. Naruto was content to just bask their silently, surrounded by this cozy feeling.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

Sasuke jumped in his seat and even Naruto shrieked in surprise at the angry roar. Frightened, the two children snapped their necks to the doorway where Minato stood, his eyes widened in disbelief and terror; fists shaking at his side. Quickly the man's shock wore away, and he snarled, his attention directly on the Uchiha. "Dammit, you stupid, arrogant brat. I'm going to KI-!"

A shrill, flat beep cut off the Hokage's shout; driving a cold nail of fear into everyone's heart.

**C.M.D:... aaaaaaaaand I've probably just ruined everyone's christmas now. Don't kill me!**


	16. And One for the Little Boy

**C.M.D: Well, geez, it has been a short time since I last updated. I'm more than certain I felt a disturbance in the force for that cliffie last chapter. I ruined some people's x-mas, and others were luckier, but there was definitely some vocal outcries at what was happening. Cooes for the SasuNaru fluff; and angry rants about Minato's temper. And a whole helluva lot of crossed-fingers for Kushina's well being. Let me be the first to warn you then that this chapter will probably be make you weep, with a slight chance of cooing. But before that; reviews! THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING: YamiPimpster, cluelessninja65, White-Tainted-Red, narutofweak, Season Crystal, Amber Ice Fox, Colours, richon, pHIL, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, KagomeGirl021, Ilamay, The Desiree Incident, Kakashifangirlnumber1000, NamikazeFan, Nekid, co0ki3AdDict, Sighcoe, Nayeli, Aid, Sachiel Angelo, fullmoonwolf950, Chaos Dragon-Fox, MalikLove, InARealPickle, SweetHunniiBunnii, KitsuneNaru, psalmofsummer, mochiusagi, counter-intuitive, eyes0nme19. So many reviewers, so many readers... the numbers keep escalating. Gotta keep writing to make sure you're all happy!**

**_Baa baa Black Sheep,  
Have you any wool?  
Yessir, Yessir,  
Three bags full.  
One for the Master,  
One for the Dame.  
And one for the little boy  
Who lives down the lane._**

* * *

"Just what the hell is going on here?," Tsunade yelled, storming off the elevator before the doors even had a chance to fully open.

Nurses and orderlies scurried about the ICU, alarms going off down the usually silent hallways. At the sennin's roar, all activity froze for a moment, before one nurse had the courage to step to the blonde's side. "I'm sitting in my office, trying to do some work, when I hear all hell's broken loose," Tsunade grumbled, surveying the chaotic state of the ward. Everyone was frozen still. "So would someone tell me what the fuck is the problem! And the rest of you- don't just sit there gawking. We're a hospital , dammit!"

Movement returned to the frozen crowd and they hurried to take control of the situation, and hopefully, as far away from the disgruntled woman as possible. Tsunade frowned as she watched the staff clear out, except for those couple nurses restricted to the nurse station. Finally, the sennin took notice of the woman at her side. "L-lady Tsunade!," the nurse squeaked, as the blonde's attention fell on her.

"You're going to give me the run-down, then?," Tsunade snorted. "Fine. Walk with me."

The nurse obliged, handing the busty doctor her clipboard as she struggled to keep up with the other's long strides. How Tsunade managed that speed in those heels was anyone's guess. "P-patient 12, r-room 5B suddenly flat-lined at 1:16 t-this afternoon. T-the patient has already been on l-life support for the past six years, m-my Lady; p-pronounced brain-dead d-during admission. S-staff attempted resuscitation, b-but it failed. Cause of d-death is believed to do with c-change of environment. T-two unregistered visitors sn-snuck into her room..."

Tsunade hardly heard a word the anxious woman said. As soon as 'patient 12' had left the nurse's mouth, her stomach had dropped and the sennin almost dropped the clipboard in horror. Her rigid fingers flipped through the pages in her hands, hoping against all hope, but the name was written right there on the page, plain as daylight. Kushina had finally passed on... "Y-you said... there were two unregistered visitors?," Tsunade struggled to say, trying to concentrate. The tears in her eyes made it harder to do so.

"Yes," the nurse replied quickly.

"Then why is everyone running around for!," Tsunade growled, switching over to frustration. Anger kept her clear-headed, when grief threatened to uproot her common sense and duty. "This is basic protocol; get patient 12 processed and to the morgue. And get those two intruders out now!"

The nurse flinched at the woman's anger, and curled a little on herself.

"Well?," Tsunade snapped, when the nurse failed to jump into action.

"B-but, L-lady Tsunade...," the girl whispered. "I-it's Yondaime and his son..."

The silence that followed was unsettling. Tsunade gave the clipboard back to the nurse stiffly, before continuing down the hallway. As she approached the room, she could hear the yelling and crying happening from within. Shoulders tense, she threw the door open, staring into the hospital room. Minato sat pinned in a chair on the far right of the room, near the windows, three medic nins holding the man down even with his chakra restraints. Two nurses stood by Kushina's bedside, shaking their heads sadly as they pulled the covers up over the woman's face; but not before Tsunade saw the greyness of her skin._ 'So she's really dead now...' _The sennin had to breathe deeply for a second, feeling the weight of the situation settle fully on her heart.

A whimper sounded, and for an embarrassing moment, the woman thought that it had come from her. She realized, with some relief, that it hadn't. Turning, Tsunade finally took notice of the lone nurse on her left, trying to coax someone out of the corner. Two someones, actually. "Situation?," Tsunade asked quietly, coming up behind the kneeling nurse. The brunette jumped in surprise, looking over her shoulder.

"O-oh! Lady Tsunade," the woman bowed, turning fully to face her superior. Tsunade waved off the action and gestured for the nurse to report. The woman glanced slightly at Minato before doing so. "Patient 12 has been confirmed as dead. The medic nin have regained control of the situation and have restrained the Yondaime. We believe it to be dementia brought on by traumatic stress that forces us to take drastic measures for the Hokage's safety. At the moment, attempts are being made to handle the other two individuals and to treat them for shock."

The nurse looked behind her momentarily at this, biting her lower lip with worry. "We are having little success," she confessed to Tsunade. Nodding her head in understanding, the Slug Princess waved the nurse off, stepping past her to the corner. Naruto was there, crying and sniffling as he anxiously rocked in place -almost entirely correct to what Tsunade had thought she might find. What she hadn't expected to see was for the little Uzumaki to be huddled behind a much larger boy, who stood before the blonde protectively, glaring at all the adults with his black eyes.

_'Uchiha Sasuke...,'_ Tsunade noted._ 'I thought I'd be seeing you again. I just hadn't anticipated the when or where...'_

Trying to appear harmless, Tsunade slowly lowered herself into a squat; first looking at Sasuke, before craning her neck to focus her attention on Naruto. "Naruto," she called softly. "Naruto, it's Auntie Tsun-Tsun. Please talk to me."

Sasuke stiffened in his stance, glowering harder at the woman, but behind him, Naruto shifted a tiny bit. The tiny boy lifted his head from his knees, staring past Sasuke's legs dazedly. "T-tsun-Tsun?," the boy croaked, tears dripping from the corners of his eyes as he struggled to focus on her.

"Yes," Tsunade breathed, somewhat relieved that the younger blonde had reacted to her so quickly. It meant that he wasn't entirely gone. "Yes, it's me Naru. Won't you come out?"

"N-no...," the child quaked, covering his head with his arms. "N-no! H-he'll get m-mad again. I-i... I d-don't want h-him to y-yell no more!"

"No, no he won't Naruto," the sennin tried to assure. She made to shuffle closer, but Naruto curled further into the corner and the little Uchiha actually curled his fists at her action. Tsunade wisely retreated. "Okay, Naru, okay. But I just want to put you in another room, away from the yelling."

Naruto raised his head a little. "A-away...?," was his muffled inquiry.

"Yes. Away." For a minute, Tsunade thought that it wasn't going to work. But after several heart pounding seconds, the Uzumaki uncurled himself and shakily rose to his feet. Anxiously, he waddled forward, and Sasuke was forced to step aside as the little boy suddenly rushed for the woman, throwing himself into her arms. Tsunade cradled the child close as he shrunk within her grasp, pressing his face into her neck seeking comfort. She cooed to him softly, trying to soothe the blonde's tormented soul even with tears in her own eyes. Nothing could express how sorry the woman felt that Naruto had to get wrapped up in all of this.

Standing up, Tsunade managed to deposit the trembling child into a nurse's arms. "Get him out of here," she sighed, looking at the Uzumaki hopelessly. "Get him something to eat or drink; anything to strengthen him. And take the other one back to his room."

"No," came the hissed growl. Exasperated, the sennin turned at the sound, looking back at the uchiha she had been ignoring up to that moment. Sasuke had turned his glare up to maximum, lip curled slightly in a snarl, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I'm going with Naruto!," the raven growled. "And nothing you say will stop me."

Tsunade could only blink at the child. Slowly, a weary smirk came to her lips. "You're his 'protector', huh?," she questioned. "Very well. You may stay with Naruto. Nurse, if you will... and notify pediatrics of Uchiha Sasuke's whereabouts as well, please."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," the nurse replied. She turned to leave, Naruto still curled in her arms, and Sasuke followed; hospital gown swishing about his knees. There came a ruckus from the other end of the room, and Tsunade spun around to find the medic nins guarding Minato trying to hold the man back as he attempted to lunge across the room; screaming at the two departing children. At the shouting, Naruto began to sob, wildly squirming in the nurse's hold, wanting to escape. Sasuke tried to soothe little boy from where he stood; turning and acting as a barrier between father and son when it appeared his efforts were having no affect.

"Get them out of here NOW!," Tsunade roared over the noise. The nurse looked as if she had swallowed her tongue in fright and was bolting out of the room immediately. Sasuke followed a moment after.

"No!," Minato screamed, as the children disappeared. "Bring him back; get him away from my son. I'll wring his little neck, I'll kill that fuc-"

**SLAP!**

The medic nins rolled to the floor at the impact, sitting up shakingly, staring into the face of their enraged superior. Tsunade huffed angrily for a few moments, before reaching out and pulling Minato back up, the chair legs creaking under him in protest. Already the man's face was discolouring on the right side of his face, where she had slapped him; a streak of red slipping past his lips and contrasting with the brightening purple-black of his skin. He said nothing, did not react to the pain that surely burned beneath the surface of his flesh.

"Minato...," the sennin sighed as silence stretched on between them. The Yondaime said nothing still; moving his jaw slowly, testing the extent of the damage as he gazed at the floor. "Minato... please look at me!"

The cerulean orbs lifted up at the plea, cutting into Tsunade with accusation and betrayal. Knowing that this was going to be a long -and more than likely invasive- lecture, the woman ordered everyone out of the room. They did so immediately, taking Kushina's body along with them. "Bring her back...," Minato said lowly, anger seeping into his tone.

"Minato, she's de-"

"She's not dead!," the man shouted, interrupting the sennin. "Don't you dare say she's dead! Her heart still beats!"

"It doesn't anymore!," Tsunade yelled over top of the Hokage. She paused as it fell quiet again, breathing deeply before speaking once more. "Her heart isn't beating... not anymore. Minato, she isn't coming back this time."

He did not refute her this time, and Tsunade thought that maybe he had finally come to terms with Kushina's death. But his eyes were empty, devoid of any acknowledgment of what she had just said, and the Slug Princess felt her heart sink in despair.

"It's his fault," the Hokage muttered darkly after a moment. "All of it; everything -his fault."

"Whose fault?," Tsunade was hesitant to ask. She worried that Minato had finally cracked, just like his son. She feared the man she was talking to now was not entirely rational. Minato ignored her inquiry, muttering still; talking to himself.

"But it's alright," the man was saying, a twisted grin coming to his face. It looked sickly with the bruise. "Once he's gone, everything will be alright. I just have to save Naruto from him..."

"Save Naruto from whom, Minato?," Tsunade shouted, feeling her patience wane and her anxiety triple. She leaned forward, resting both hands on the armrests of Minato's chair, making sure that she was within the man's sight. Even still, his gaze was distant; not focused on the sennin despite her being mere inches from his nose. "Minato, answer me!"

Finally, the man looked at her and the sight made Tsunade's stomach roil uneasily. There was madness in the Hokage's eyes, just behind the overwhelming rage. "Him," Minato growled in answer, leaning forward against his bonds. The woman backed away out of instinct.

"That little monster," the Yondaime continued, his words getting darker and darker. "Corrupting, stealing my Naruto... I'll kill him, I'll kill that Uchiha brat. And then everything will be fine again. Kushina will come back and Naruto will always be mine. Forever and ever. I just need to make him go away."

Tsunade couldn't help it -she slapped the man again. Her hand trembled as she brought it to her chest, and the woman noticed that the trembling wasn't centered just on her hand. "Dammit," she hissed, feeling nausea fill her. How could he talk like that? Threatening a child... Minato wasn't sane! She watched as the Yondaime began to laugh, his head lolling back on his shoulder as he bubbled with the mad sound.

"Stop it! Stop it right now!," Tsunade ordered the cackling man. He ignored her. "If you don't stop this very instant, I'll be forced to check you in for psychiatric evaluation, and Naruto will be taken away from you!"

Her threat worked. Minato fell eerily silent, his mad eyes glowering at her. "How dare you...!," he hissed, chakra crackling around his bonds. Tsunade kept brave, refusing to be intimated.

"I dare," she replied, voice filled with just as much venom. "Would you listen to yourself! Threatening a child... You've been spiraling into madness ever since Kushina's death -and I'm talking about before today. We let it go, all of us, when your refused to accept that she was never waking up, but no more. She's dead, Minato; Kushina is officially and irrevocably dead. But your son isn't! He's been alive this entire time and yet you've completely forgotten about this fact. Protecting him, isolating him... Minato, that boy is growing every day and he's smart too. He wants to love you with all that he has, no strings attached, but ever since this year began..."

Tsunade paused to shake her head. "You've hurt him, don't you see that? More than trying to keep him all to yourself; that child's forgiven you for that. But yelling and screaming like this, ignoring him? He's afraid of you and he's confused. He doesn't understand your actions as of late; and frankly, neither do i. That boy has just lost his mother today... please don't make me tell him he no longer has a father too."

Minato was silent the entire time Tsunade spoke, his expression becoming more and more withdrawn as the lecture continued on. But as the sennin's words drew to a close, tears began to fill the Yondaime's eyes and slipped down his cheeks freely. Tsunade noticed this and her own eyes welled in response. "B-but...," Minato choked, struggling to speak a few minutes afterwards. He couldn't get the words out, and instead bowed his head, whimpering in the back of his throat.

Tsunade fell to her knees, releasing the chakra restraints, wrapping her arms around the man's shoulders. He curled into her embrace, his hands covering his face as he wept. Through splattering tears, he called Kushina's name; lamenting her lost presence and the things that he had done. "I-i-i... I'm de-despicable," he cried. "W-why did I-i d-do this for so long! I-i-i've ruined everything!"

Tsunade held him as he shuddered and keened, tears slipping down her own cheeks. "H-healing takes time," she tried to soothe, breathing into his ear over his cries. "And who knows for certain how long that takes. But everything is not lost. There's still a little boy waiting for his daddy, and he needs him pretty bad."

"I-i can't," Minato protested, pushing away from Tsunade. The sennin let him go, knowing that this too was part of the healing process. Minato buried his face back into his hands, ashamed. "I-i can't face him... not now. N-not when I'm still like this."

"Take you time then," Tsunade replied, wiping at the residue tears in her eyes. She took a breathe, rising to her feet. "I'll make sure Naruto is fine in the meantime. And when you're ready... we'll be waiting."

The sennin rose to her feet, staring at the hunched over Minato a moment longer, before leaving the room.

* * *

Naruto was really upset.

Sasuke sat in a chair behind the nurse's station, right next to the nurse who had taken them from the room. He watched with worried eyes as the other boy drifted into a fitful sleep on the woman's lap, his fingers curled around Usagi-kun in a death-like grip. The rabbit had always made him feel better, no matter the situation, but Usagi-kun's charms didn't seem to be helping Naruto at all. Sasuke bit his lips guiltily and stared at his knees. All of this was his fault. He had only meant to make Naruto happy... but everything had turned out so wrong. The Uchiha took a shaky breath, recalling the moment when the Yondaime had entered the room.

Everybody in the village loved the Fourth -he was happy, charming and overall, a compassionate person. But the man who had come into the room couldn't have been Naruto's father. His face was too contorted, too twisted with anger. It was no wonder Naruto had shrieked in terror at the sight. Sasuke looked towards the Uzumaki again, unconsciously rubbing his arm where the Yondaime had scratched him when trying to grab the child. The raven was thankful for his shinobi training then, because he would have certainly been hurt very bad if the Hokage had caught him. The man had become so... crazy... when the machines started making those funny noises. What it meant, Sasuke wasn't entirely sure. His young mind was stuck in a loop at the moment, brought on by shock; thinking about how scary the Yondaime was and his own guilt in this matter.

_'I have to protect Naruto,'_ the child thought mindlessly. It was this one decision, running through his head over and over that kept him from locking up and breaking down like Naruto. The belief that Sasuke had to be strong where the blonde could not was conflicting with the child's own need for comfort.

"How are they?," came the strong voice again.

Sasuke lifted his head wearily, blinking at the busty woman who had helped them escape that room. He hadn't yet thanked her for that.

"They've quieted down a little," the nurse answered, patting the sleeping head of Naruto softly. The little boy stirred slightly at the touch. "But they'll need a check-up; perhaps after some rest. It's been very traumatic..."

"Yes," Tsunade sighed in reply. "I'll take them down to pediatrics so they can some rest and write a report in the meantime. The Yondaime is still in the room. Leave him until he's ready to come out, and then have a nurse to escort him to the morgue. I'm sure he'll want to see Kushina one last time."

The nurse nodded her head, lifting the sleeping Naruto and handing him to the sennin. Tsunade cradled the tiny blonde close, cooing softly when he whimpered in his sleep. She quieted when Naruto did, turning her hazel eyes to the Uchiha then. "Come," she ordered, turning away.

Sasuke scrambled out of his seat and around the nurse station, trotting after the woman obediently. As they got on the elevator, Sasuke felt exhaustion hit him and he leaned against the sennin instinctively. Tsunade glanced down at the boy, but said not a word. "I-i... didn't want it to turn out this way...," the raven mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

"What do you mean?," Tsunade asked, genuinely curious. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, his face crumpled with sorrow.

"The pretty Queen... I only wanted to bring the Star to the Queen," he muttered cryptically. "I-i wanted to make him happy... so the King could be happy too."

Tsunade was starting to get it. Someone had told the Uchiha the story of Minato and Kushina like a fairytale; the Queen was evidently Kushina, the King Minato. That meant the Star could be only one person. "Is that why you and Naruto were in that room?," the sennin questioned.

Sasuke nodded in his head. "But the King got so angry...," the child frowned sleepily. He shook his head quickly, eyes staring at the floor sadly. "He tried to get to the Star... b-but I wouldn't let him. He looked like he wanted to hurt the Star."

That explained many things. Tsunade remained silent as the elevator doors opened, walking into the more lively and bustling pediatrics ward. People stared as the sennin passed through the halls, one child in her arms and another gripping the hem of her shirt. She refused to answer any of their inquisitive stares, concerned only about the children in her grasp. Tsunade found Sasuke's room without a problem and led them inside the quiet, little room. She tucked Naruto under the sheets there, watching as Sasuke instantly scrambled up beside the tiny blonde without a second thought. "W-will... will Naruto's mommy be okay?," the Uchiha asked, looking up at her.

He seemed a little more aware now. Tsunade sighed and pulled the sheets up to the children's chins. "She's gone now," the woman answered truthfully. "To a far away place. I'm sad to say she won't be coming back. But one day, Naruto will see her again, of that I'm certain."

"And his daddy...?"

Tsunade couldn't help but smile softly at the question. "He'll get better too, though it may take some time. Until then, can you make me a promise?"

Sasuke, who had started to close his eyes, opened them in a flash at the inquiry. Seeing she had his attention, the sennin continued. "The... um, Star, will need protection; until the King is strong again. Will you be the Knight; protect Naruto and stay by his side 'til such a time?"

The raven only hesitated a moment, but as he glanced at the still slumbering Naruto he became resolved again. "I promise," Sasuke answered, smoothing the furrow in the blonde's brow with his thumb. Naruto whimpered a little at the touch and shifted closer to the Uchiha. Tsunade's smile grew a couple inches as Sasuke wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders, pulling him close.

"Thank you," she whispered as the older child drifted off to sleep as well, no longer be able to stay awake. Quietly, the sennin leaned in and placed a kiss on Naruto's temple, before pulling away all together and retreating from the room.

* * *

There came a crash from the other line, and Tsunade could only grimace at the noise. She waited patiently as the noise ceased and the huffing breath of another individual sounded over the other end. "H-hello?," came the nervous man's voice.

"Finally realized Naruto's missing, have you Jiraiya?," Tsunade said smoothly, catching the slight hitch in the other's voice.

"Missing? What are you talking about -he's not missing," Jiraiya lied.

If it wasn't for the fact that the blonde knew the Uzumaki's current whereabouts, she might have believed him. The old pervert could be smooth that way. "Give it up, you git," Tsunade snapped. She wasn't in the mood for any of Jiraiya's antics. "Naruto's here at the hospital. Little thing came over all by himself. He's sleeping at the moment, but once he's awake I'll send him back home."

"Okay, well...," came Jiraiya's relieved sigh. "He's in good hands then. So, I'll just be going the-"

"Jiraiya," Tsunade said softly, cutting off the hermit's rambling. He fell silent immediately, catching the affliction in her voice. "Jiraiya... it's Kushina..."

There was silence.

"So it's finally happened then...," the frog sennin sighed. He sounded centuries older over the phone. "And Minato...?"

"Knows. Listen, I'll explain the whole situation later... but can you get Kakashi for me? And tell him to come to the hospital. Naruto's going to need somebody he knows and trusts right now." Jiraiya did not press further, and for that, Tsunade was glad. She was close to tears again.

"Alright, I will...," the man replied. "And, you, Tsunade... take some time to yourself, okay?"

"Y-yes, thank you," she said. "Bye." She hung up before the sobs could slip out.

* * *

Itachi stared into the room, not entirely certain on how to comprehend the image before him. Naruto was asleep in his brother's bed, alongside the slumbering raven, but that was not the surprising part. The bit that had the ANBU raising an eyebrow skeptically was the fact that his otouto-kun had his arms wrapped protectively around the Uzumaki. _'That's certainly a new development...'_ Itachi finally turned his head away from the sight as his mother came up to his side.

"Itachi, why aren't you going inside?," Mikoto asked, pausing at the doorway. She stopped and looked inside as well, catching sight of the newest addition. "Oh...," the woman cooed, before becoming serious. "Isn't that Naruto-kun, Minato's son?"

Itachi nodded his head. He would have offered more, but even he didn't know why Naruto was in Sasuke's room.

"Mikoto-san," a voice spoke up. Itachi tensed and turned to face the unexpected visitor. He had not even sensed their approach... which could mean only one of two things. Turning, the raven was glad to see that it was only a superior and not an enemy. His mother turned to the new individual as well, bowing slightly as she saw who it was.

"Lady Tsunade. Can I be of assistance?"

The sennin came to a pause before the two Uchihas, looking for all intents and purposes as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. "Not entirely," the blonde answered. "But there is something I wish to tell you, and to offer an explanation as well to the sight you see." She gestured to the room to which Itachi glanced at again, his brow furrowing in confusion. Had something happened between Naruto and Sasuke?

"O-okay...," Mikoto agreed. She patted Itachi's shoulder, regaining the teen's focus. "I'll just be a few minutes, alright? Watch them while I'm gone."

Itachi nodded his head at her request and turning to guard the doorway. His eyes glanced to his mother and Lady Tsunade as they walked a few feet away from the ANBU. To pay them respect, he adverted his eyes and ran hand seals through his head as they talked. Eventually, Mikoto returned to her son; looking as burdened as Lady Tsunade. "Poor boy...," she murmured, peeking back into the room.

"So you've heard then."

The ravens turned to their second arrival of the day. Kakashi, mask pulled high, appeared practically ragged. Now Itachi was really curious. What did everyone else know that he didn't? "Yes," Mikoto answered, "You've come to take Naruto then?"

The grey-haired nin nodded. His mother stepped aside and Itachi did the same, granting access to the hospital room. Kakashi accepted the invitation, stepping inside and to his brother's bedside. Itachi almost opened his mouth in protest as his colleague lifted the Uzumaki from his otouto-kun's side, but remained silent when Mikoto rested her hand on his shoulders. Cradling Naruto closely, Kakashi left the room, pausing just outside the door. The teen watched as his mother raised one hand, cupping the Hatake's cheek. "If you need anything... feel free to contact me."

Kakashi nodded at her words; unable to speak. Mikoto noticed and tried to force a smile to her tearful face. "Things will be alright... you'll see."

"I hope so," the man finally managed to murmur. He inclined his head to the Uchihas again, this time in farewell, before turning away completely. Itachi took this moment to look at this mom. Noticing her son's attention, she faced him; her thin smile growing a couple inches longer at his inquisitive gaze.

"Please watch Sasuke a little longer. I... I'll just be down in the morgue," Mikoto supplied softly, voice hitching only a little. "I must see Kushina." And then she was gone, leaving behind a stunned teenager, who could only blink at the sudden news.

Kushina was really... dead?

**C.M.D: Soooooooo... am I forgiven for that cliffie, or have I dug myself a deeper hole? Right, well, I can't ever be sure how quick my updates will be, but I promise that they'll be consistent enough this year to keep you all happy. Second thing: I am no doctor. Normally, I'd go and do my research and study up on terminology, but... I was lazy, and I thought getting this chapter out was more important than making it medically accurate. It's not like this is Doctor fic anyhow. So pardon me for any discrepancies that you might find as well. Anyways, REVIEW, as always, and share with my your wondrous thoughts. After all, sharing is caring!**


	17. Ring around the Rosie

**C.M.D: So, heeeeeey... Who wants to say hi to the AWOL Author? *Books, boots, bricks and a rubber ducky fly* Eeeek! *Ducks* So, uh... guess you're all a little irritated at my lateness, huh? Ehehehehe... I'd probably offer an excuse of some sort, but why bother? Anyone can tell by looking at my profile that my mind has been taken over by Transformers... All the same, I'm here now! And with an update! A long one! So, I'm forgiven right? ...guess we'll have to see...  
Anyways, despite my lack of presence, you guys just keep on coming, reading and commenting. So, as is proper due, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REVIEWING: BlondeRaven95-9, c7bi-kyuubi, Lynx DYaoi, katchile, , Addicted-to-the-Madness, tmntlover123456789, Ryuubi27, hazel-3017, Mika, TanuKyle, MOeMoE Kagami, Iceheart15, Sighcoe, I WILL DIE, asm613, abc, Atomic-Diamonds-Afterimage, safachick8, dark-wolf-howl, Aiseki0Hikari, Sin69, heather XD, Slyther88, AmaranthineSolis, Venus914, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, starstruck87, Ilamay, richon, wishmaker101, readalot91214, silent-insaneminako, Karishiana, immortal-lover14, sangetsuninichi, Sachiel Angelo, Stargazer, N.V.9, fullmoonwolf950, medicfire, Imarriedmalfoy, deepsapphiresoul, SweetHunniiBunnii, brightsun89, White-Tainted-Red, TheWrongSide, Chaos Dragon-Fox, BadCook, cluelessninja65, narutofweak, Yumi-nachan, .Alpha, The Desiree Incident, mochiusagi, InARealPickle, Nekid, counter-intuitive, YamiPimpster. Some of you were tickled with the cuteness, some of you got angry... most of you cried. Which I think is more amazing than the number of hits this story has been getting while I was out of the writing commission .  
In either case, thanks again for everyone following this story and I hope this update makes up for my almost half-a year absence~**

**_Ring around the Rosie_  
**

* * *

A weary figure walked down the darkened hallway, heading for the front door, just as the doorbell rang again; its eerie chime echoing through the silent house.

Slowly, Kakashi took hold of the knob, preparing himself for the inevitable confrontation and condolences. The door opened with a creak, letting in a mist of rain. "O-oh, hello. I'm sorry, am I disturbing anything? I know this is a bad time, but..."

"Iruka, right?," the Hatake cut in, interrupting the brunet's rambling.

Iruka immediately fell silent, an embarrassed blush coming to his cheeks. Self-consciously, the teacher lowered his umbrella, partially obscuring the top-half of his face. "Yes, Umino Iruka. I'm glad you remember. I... know it's been a little while, but I came to see how you are all doing. Naruto hasn't been at school these past couple days... and with his mother's passing... well, I-i was just concerned."

Kakashi leaned on the door frame heavily, glancing back into the dark house. "He... hasn't been doing well," he answered truthfully. He noticed that Iruka had lifted his umbrella again and was looking straight at the ANBU.

"May... may I come inside?," Iruka asked.

At first, the silver-haired man thought to refuse, but as he continued to hesitate, he began to realize that there really wasn't much harm in letting the Umino in. Quietly, he stood aside and at the invitation, Iruka stepped over the threshold. "Sorry," the brunet mumbled as he entered. "I don't mean to drip everywhere."

Kakashi waved off the apology, shutting the door against the rain and chill once more. Without waiting for the Umino to remove his outer layers, the ANBU walked back down the hall to the lit kitchen, shuffling about the room before sitting in one of the kitchen table chairs. Iruka followed not but a few seconds after. "Oh, sorry... did you want some coffee?," the Hatake spoke up after a moment, noticing that the other man continued to stand, shuffling in place awkwardly.

"What- no, no, no! That's quite alright," the teacher smiled assuredly, "Might I sit down?"

Kakashi nodded, and watched as Iruka pulled out a seat for himself. "You must have had a lot of visitors," the brunet noted, eyeing the small pile of gifts and cards on the middle of the table.

"Yes," the silver-haired male replied. "That's not even a quarter of it. Most of the others are sitting in the hallway closet."

"I see. And, Naruto?"

"Sleeping right now," Kakashi answered.

Iruka folded his hands on top of the table. "How has he been taking Kushina's death?"

Kakashi did not reply straight away. "...Hard," he finally mumbled, after a few seconds. "I don't think he's quite fully understood the situation yet. But he knows something's missing now, and it won't be coming back. More than that though, he's scared of his dad... He's never seen Minato flip out before -hell, even I haven't seen the Yondaime freak out as much as Tsunade says he did in Kushina's room! I'm not sure what will become of Naruto after this, or if he'll ever be able to see his dad the same way again."

"Has he said anything? Naruto, that is," Iruka clarified. "Has he spoken to you at all since coming back home."

"No... he hasn't said a word. He doesn't even eat anymore. It's like before when he reverted... but I don't think he's coming out of this one again anytime soon."

"Maybe-" Iruka cut himself off as the kitchen door was opened, both adults turning to the doorway as Naruto walked in. The blond looked up at the two older men with swollen, red eyes; a rabbit plushie dangling from the fist at his mouth, where he languidly sucked on his thumb. "Naruto?," the Umino said softly. Iruka paused, glancing at Kakashi before turning to the child once more. "Naruto, how are you feeling?"

The little boy did not answer. For a time, he just continued to stare at the brunet, before he eventually padded over and approached Iruka. As Naruto came closer, the teacher unconsciously lowered his arms for the boy, scooping the tiny Uzumaki up into his arms and holding him close. Naruto did not object to the motion, and indeed, wrapped his free arm and legs about Iruka's body in retaliation. "Hello, Naru-kun," the Umino continued to whisper to the demon-carrier. He petted the blonde spikes gently, smoothing them back from the boy's flushed face. "Do you remember me, Naru-kun? I'm Sasuke-kun's teacher. You know, he misses you a lot. He's worried about what happened to his friend. Do you miss him too?"

An exhausted nod met his questions, but still, Naruto did not speak; the thumb remaining resolutely between his lips.

"He's running a fever," Iruka noted, smoothing his hand along the Uzumaki's forehead again. "No doubt a result of his stressed systems. Naruto," the brunet spoke to the blond, "Will you eat something if I make a nice meal? You and your rabbit can both eat."

Naruto blinked, but did not respond.

Smiling sadly, Iruka shifted the child in his arms, placing most of his weight on his hip as he rose to his feet. Kakashi watched, stunned, as the teacher then approached him, handing the ANBU the amazingly suppliant blond. "You really are good with kids," the Hatake remarked dully. He looked down to where Naruto had curled his fist into the material of his shirt, dazed cerulean orbs tracking each of Iruka's movements.

The Umino chuckled lightly, grabbing a spare apron from the hook and putting it on. "So people have told me... I suppose it is part of the reason why I couldn't bear to quit my job. I love what I do too much, and the work is never really a chore." He quieted for a moment, opening the fridge and peaking inside. Unabashedly, he removed ingredients and set them on the counter.

"Utensils are in the drawer by the sink, and pots under the cupboard by the stove," Kakashi supplied helpfully.

"Oh, sorry," Iruka blushed, turning to face the Hatake and bowing quickly in shame. "I'm acting much too familiar. I apologize and-"

"Don't... don't worry about it," the ANBU replied. "This place has seen too much abnormality lately... it would be nice to have something follow some sort of routine. Please, go ahead: do as you like. If you can get Naruto to eat, I'll be all the more grateful to you."

"Very well," the brunet said, straightening up. "I only hope the meal is satisfactory."

Kakashi did not say anything this time, allowing Iruka to return to his task in preparing them dinner. After several minutes, interrupted only by the sound of chopping and sizzling oil, the Hatake finally managed to utter what was on his mind. "...If... if it's not too forward, would it be alright, if I asked you to come over again tomorrow?"

The teacher, blushing, turned his head to Kakashi. "I... I just don't know how to help Naruto, and until everything else has passed... I'm really all he has at the moment. But I don't think I can possibly be of any help to him on my own. No," the silver-haired man corrected, "No, I know I can't. Would you mind, I mean... if it's not too much trouble..."

"Yes," Iruka answered, saving Kakashi from his blabbering. "If you need any help at all, then please, feel free to call on me. I wish for Naruto to be alright, just as much as anybody else, and I would gladly assist where I can."

For the first time in the past seventy-two hours, Kakashi allowed himself to relax just a little. "Thank you... Thank you so much..."

* * *

It was raining heavily still, as it had been for the past few days. Almost as even the heavens were mourning Kushina's passing on, Tsunade noted darkly. But, the woman supposed, it was better this way after all. The whole village grieved in their own way at the horrible news of the blessed redhead finally being buried... but for those that had been close to Kushina -who had loved and shared their lives with her- tears were hard to come by.

Minato had not cried since that day in the hospital room...

"Are you going to come back?," Tsunade asked, raising her head slightly. The rain pattered almost thunderously against her umbrella, making the ground beneath her soak and bulge with moisture, until her ankles were almost sinking into the very mud. There was the faintest thought to move, but it was not strong enough of an ideal for her to take any action. Besides, all her attention was focused forwards on the blonde man standing before the new gravestone; soaked through to the bone, for he refused to wear a coat or have any other protection against the wind and thunder.

"Minato..."

"Later...," the man finally replied. His voice was a dry croak, the syllables barely rolling of his tongue. "I can't face him right now..."

Tsunade lowered her head for a second, staring at the mud and rain surrounding her feet. "I know," she said. "I know, and I understand, Minato. You need to come with me though; out of the rain."

The Yondaime turned his head slowly, looking back at the woman. "It's only rain," he smiled wryly.

The sennin walked up to the man quickly, putting her hands on his shoulders gently. "Only rain...," she agreed. "And it'll only be a sleep. Please, come with me."

Minato seemed to collapse in her grasp. With dead eyes, he gazed once more upon his wife's tombstone, before resignedly turning away completely; letting Tsunade lead him away from the grave and through the empty streets of their village.

* * *

Sasuke hadn't seen Naruto in what felt like ages.

The playground at the Academy seemed duller; his classes extremely boring. Though that may have had more to do with the rain than anything else. It had been pouring constantly since the raven had woken up in his hospital room, only to find that Naruto had been taken back home by one of the grown-ups. That had upset the little Uchiha who had followed up by demanding to see the blonde. Of course, that did not happen.

The Uzumaki's mother had finally passed away and the whole village was busy making the funeral arrangements. Even Sasuke's parents were distracted -his father attended the initial burial, along with Itachi, while his mom cried silently in the kitchen. The little boy could see that everyone was sad and so, he withdrew his demands out of respect for their grieving. But that didn't make him want to see Naruto any less.

More than anything now, the raven needed to go and see the blonde; make sure that he was okay.

After a few days of waiting and there still being no sign of the Uzumaki, Sasuke took the only option left to him: he asked Iruka-sensei what had become of his friend. To the child's surprise, the Umino had easily confessed that the blonde had been home all of this time, registered for sick leave, and then the brunet proceeded to invite the Uchiha along as he headed to go see Naruto that afternoon.

"B-but my mom...," Sasuke surprisingly protested weakly.

Iruka smiled down at the child, packing up the last of his things. "I'm sure it'll be alright, Sasuke-kun. I'll call you mom and inform her that you're accompanying me to Naruto's," the man assured. "I'll even walk you home afterwards."

The teacher did as he promised, and once it had been confirmed during last period that the Uchiha could go, Sasuke was walking with Iruka through the rain to Naruto's house. Sasuke couldn't help but gawk as they approached the modest, little two-story. The house had a big yard, with an old oak on its premises, fitted in comfortably between two other buildings of its kind. It had large ground-floor windows and an even shade of tangerine paint on the walls. In the sunlight, this house would probably be the picture of serenity.

As it was though, the rain muddied the whole image.

The yard was swollen and run over with dirty water, the branches on the oak weighted down by the constant down-pour; the paint on the house darkened and dingy through the black rain. Even the drapes had been drawn on all the windows, the muted glow of lights within barely piercing the material. All in all, the sight was distressing and Sasuke felt himself freeze up inside a little. With slight trepidation, the raven followed his teacher up to the door. Iruka knocked once -a hollow, ugly sound- before the door was creaking open slowly.

"Iruka," Kakashi sighed in relief. The other man seemed practically dead on his feet, yet light returned to his eyes upon seeing the brunet. It was a moment after that the Hatake noticed the little Uchiha.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the copy-nin mumbled in confusion.

"Y-yes," Iruka stuttered, resting his hands on the child's shoulders loosely, "He's been worried about Naruto and I thought... well... forgive me for my forwardness, but I thought it might do some good if Sasuke-kun could see Naruto."

"You'll be staying for dinner then, I suppose...," Kakashi replied dully, directing his words to the Uchiha directly. Sasuke felt himself tense in defense, nodding his head tersely.

"I suppose."

With a heavy sigh, the grey-haired shinobi stepped out of the doorway; opening the door further to his guests. "C'mon in," he invited, turning on his heel. "Naruto is upstairs," Kakashi said over a shoulder, heading for the kitchen himself. "Second door on the right."

The little boy stood in the entryway, peering up the dark staircase. Iruka, slipping his shoes off, touched the back of the raven's head. "It's alright, Sasuke-kun," the brunet said, smiling at the startled child. "Go ahead -I'll just be in the kitchen with Kakashi-san."

At the prompt, Sasuke silently removed his sandals, padding upstairs. The hallway here was as dark as he had thought it to be from where he had been standing at the bottom of the stairs. With hands outstretched, the raven headed further down the dark landing, silently counting the doors as he passed them. One on his left, one on his right, two on his left, three on his left, two on his right... Sasuke stopped, slowly turning to the right. This was Naruto's room. Thunder rumbled outside as the child opened the door a crack, peering inside. There was no light here either. Only by squinting could he make out the lumps and shapes of items within the room. On the large rectangle that Sasuke took to be the bed, was a small, rounded bump under the bedsheets.

Nothing moved as the raven tip-toed into the room; circling the bed and coming up to the side.

He hesitated only for a minute, unsure if he should call out for Naruto or merely grasp the tiny lump.

"Naruto...," the Uchiha started softly, having made his decision. Silence followed his words, nothing but the thunder and lightning flashing through the drawn blinds to accompany them. Had he been mistaken? Was the blond asleep? Or was Sasuke in the wrong room entirely?

"...'suke...?," a whisper questioned from the bed. The bump did not move or even shift, remaining resolutely still. But speak it did again. "...you real?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered. "Naruto, won't you get up?"

The Uzumaki stayed as he was.

"Is... c-can I come under?"

The blanket pulled a little as a tiny head nodded. Quietly, the raven lifted the sheets, sliding beneath them and surrounding himself in darkness. Shifting on the creaking mattress, the child made himself comfortable, before reaching forward and brushing aside the flimsy wall dividing him and Naruto. Sad, half-masted cerulean orbs met his charcoal ones.

"...hey," the Uchiha murmured after a moment. Those heart-broken eyes merely blinked at him, making the raven's chest get tighter.

"...he hates me, 'Suke...," Naruto replied back quietly, lifting his arms a little higher and burying his face into Usagi-kun's fur. "H-he got s-so angry...! I-i-i..."

Sasuke felt his fists clench together, overcome by helplessness. He couldn't think of what to say, what to do, that would make his friend stop crying. He wanted Naruto to be happy again and unafraid -after all, he had done nothing bad. The little blond should not then have been so terrified and sad. He was small himself, and the Uchiha knew that only adults were strong enough to keep the promises they made. He wanted to be that strong too that very moment, so he could comfort the Uzumaki.

"Naruto... it'll be okay," the older child said, reaching out and resting his hand on the other's forearm. Blue eyes lifted from over the rabbit plushie's black ears.

"...how do you know?," Naruto asked.

Sasuke swallowed sharply, looking back at the blonde determinedly. "Because I promise it will be. I'll protect you from anything bad from now on; I'll make sure that your daddy doesn't yell at you anymore."

Tears filled the smaller boy's eyes; face scrunching in hope and fear. "... stay...," Naruto pleaded, turning his face away again. "...please...?"

The raven moved closer, until his forehead was almost pressed against the crown of the Uzumaki's head. Beneath the covers, their breath mingled together, two sets of eyes peering through the darkness and focusing on the other. "I'm here," Sasuke declared softly. "I won't go anywhere."

Sparkling blue eyes only blinked up at him, before Naruto was pushing forwards; anxious fists clenching the older child's shirt. In response, the Uchiha wrapped his arms about the blonde, closing his eyes and pressing his cheek to the soft, golden spikes.

* * *

"...Should we wake them?"

Iruka glanced over his shoulder at the Hatake lingering just behind him, before turning his focus back to the crack in the door; peering at the two lumps huddled under the blanket. From here, he could hear the tell-tale breathing of the children in deep slumber.

"No," Kakashi answered, in as soft a murmur as the teacher had just spoken in. He reached forward, wrapping his hand around the brunet's on the doorknob, pulling the bedroom door shut the rest of the way. "Let's let them sleep," he added, gesturing for Iruka to follow.

The other man did so, rubbing the back of his palm where the copy-nin had touched him. "I suppose I can put their dinner away for later. Do you think Naruto-kun will eat it?," Iruka mused aloud as they headed downstairs.

"He will," the Hatake replied.

"How can you be certain though?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I just got the feeling..."

The kitchen's light made them lower their eyelids for a few moments, to shield from the glare the brightness provided. "Yondaime-sama still hasn't returned then...," Iruka mumbled quietly, slipping into a chair.

"No, he hasn't," the other shinobi confirmed. Kakashi stood a couple minutes longer, shuffling about the counter tops. When he finally sat himself, it was with a cup of coffee in hand; a second one in the other, which he gave to Iruka.

"T-thank you...," the brunet said, taking a moment to drink from the glass. "But why though? I-i'm sorry, I really don't mean to pry but... Naruto is his son, isn't he? Surely, his father would be the best to comfort and explain the situation to child?"

The grey-haired man only shook his head sadly. "It's not my place to say...," he replied blandly, tugging down his face mask. An awkward silence fell, to which neither men could think of how to break. Blushing in shame, Iruka brought his cup back up to his lips; thinking of finishing his drink quickly and leaving.

Kakashi only scratched at the table top with a fingernail, seeming to be deliberating something behind tired eyes. "...You are aware of Naruto's situation, yes?"

"P-pardon?," the Umino stuttered. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"You know of the Demon Fox sealed within Naruto. Correct?," the copy-nin asked again, his gaze lifting and catching the teacher's eyes this time.

Ah, that situation... "I... I do, yes," Iruka answered slowly. "And before you dare say it: no, my opinion of Naruto-kun does not change. He is a child -a little boy- who is learning, and hurting, and confused, just as any child is. What happens to be in that boy does not change the fact that he is his own person; it was only coincidence that he was the one selected as a vessel to that monster. The Kyuubi no Kitsune and Naruto-kun are two entirely different beings."

A fleeting smile came across the Hatake's lips, before it was quickly hidden again. "But you did hate him once... yes?"

The brunet's eyes widened as the blush across his cheeks deepened. Shamefully, he bowed his head, looking into his coffee cup. "For a time...," he whispered sadly. Closing his eyes, Iruka remembered those long nights in a strangely quiet house, curling up in a cold bed; the last of his tears drying as exhaustion finally started to overcome him. Slipping off to a troubled sleep, tortured by the images of a mother and father that had been stolen away from him too soon. "For a time, I could think of nothing but the sadness and the anger. I was so young..."

"You're young now," Kakashi pointed out. "Youngest that I've heard of to become an Academy sensei."

"I would have to say the same for you, Kakashi-san," Iruka shot back, glancing up at the man almost irritably. Sighing, he looked away again.

"So what changed?," the other man asked.

Iruka shrugged, finally setting his cup down on the table. "I don't know really... Just, one day I realized how ridiculous it was. Why was I getting angry at a baby for? A tiny, little baby that couldn't understand what had happened to him, let alone grasp his own name... And even if that boy should grow up and learn just what was caged inside of him, how did that make him responsible for the all the deaths that came before his birth? Really, it was pointless trying to justify my anger at Naruto-kun..."

"That was big of you," the Hatake commented. That little smile again flashed across his face, before ducking out of sight once more.

"Hardly...," the brunet scoffed in embarrassment. "Why the questions? I hardly think this is your idea of simple conversation."

"No, you're right; it isn't," Kakashi agreed, growing solemn again. "The reason that I ask is because I realize that Naruto is going to need friends, wherever he may go. You are the only adult that has the best interest in mind for the children, and the only one who can keep an eye on Naruto while he's in school. I had to make certain though where you stood on the Kyuubi matter, before telling you this."

"M-maybe you shouldn't tell me then...," Iruka stuttered, unease beginning to slither through his gut. "I mean..."

"You need to know," the grey-haired shinobi pressed, cutting off any further protests from the teacher. "Trust me. Because there'll be a time when Naruto will want to know himself, and I'm not entirely certain any of us will be able to share with him that bit of news..."

Iruka took a deep breath, folding his hands tightly in his lap. "A-alright...," he acquiesced. "Tell me; I'm ready."

"Have you ever wondered about the circumstances of the Demon's attack that night, several years ago?," Kakashi began. "Or even about Kushina's hospitalization?"

The copy-nin paused, letting the Umino ponder for a second. When only confusion and further unease showed on the teacher's face, Kakashi graciously continued.

"She was the carrier; before Naruto...," he explained bluntly.

"W-what?," Iruka gasped. "B-but that makes no sense... s-she was a transfer student, from the Whirlpool country. J-just an ordinary child, like us..."

The Hatake nodded his head. "She was... in the beginning. Under the pretence of an exchange program, Kushina was brought into out village. But from the beginning, she was aware that her duties lied in becoming the next jinchuuriki, after the next one passed away. It's been a tradition for years...," he explained.

"A-a tradition!," the brunet choked in disgust. "T-to send children to be living, breathing cages for beasts?"

Kakashi locked eyes with Iruka. The quiet, sure gaze of that dark eye slowly soothed the other man's agitation. Calming some, Iruka retook his seat, glaring at the table top. "That isn't right...," he hissed lowly.

"It isn't," Kakashi replied. "But it's been that way for centuries. We found that only our cousins from the Whirlpool Country had a particular chakra signature that was best suited for the sealing. Something in their bloodline allowed for the Demon to be easily suppressed, and any danger of madness or lose of control to be minimal compared to a jinchuuriki outside of their village. Every year, we offered them protection and peace, as long as it was available to us. And in turn, they sent one child every few decades to take over the mantel of carrier, sheltering us from the havoc that would be caused should Kyuubi no Kitsune ever be released."

"And so Kushina came to be the next vessel," Iruka surmised. "H-had... had a carrier ever been allowed to marry before?"

"No," was the Hatake's clipped reply. "It was illogical. A carrier spent the rest of their days, usually contained in a protected area of the village; living, eating, doing minimal activities, all the time understanding that their isolation was because of the dangerous entity trapped within their own bodies. But Minato-san, when he became Yondaime, could not change the fact that he loved Kushina, despite having learned of her role as vessel to the Demon. Being the ruling power, he took her as his bride, uncaring for the counsel's protests."

Silence.

"And what happens when a carrier gets pregnant?," the Umino asked, feeling his stomach churn again restlessly. It wasn't hard to guess what the answer would be.

Kakashi sighed, cementing the brunet's thoughts. "The seals weaken, for a time, during the birth. If they're maintained by a third party, then nothing happens... but there was an unexpected guest that evening. He killed a whole squadron of ANBU, resulting in Kyuubi's freedom..."

Iruka closed his eyes, feeling sadness and horror overcome him. "And then the Demon went on a rampage..."

"Then the Demon went on a rampage..."

"H-how...," the teacher paused, thinking over how to phrase his question. "How did Naruto come to carry the Kyuubi?"

The grey-haired man waited a moment before answering; drinking deeply from his now-cold coffee. "Minato-sama had created a sort of spirit technique. It was a fail-safe –a forbidden jutsu that could force and imprison a person's soul in another container. But at the price of the wielder's own soul. Realizing he couldn't fight this stranger, and protect both his family and village, the Yondaime prepared to sacrifice himself."

"Unfortunately... things did not happen that way," Kakashi continued. "Kushina, injured and exhausted from her labour, was adamant that her newborn son would not lost a mother and father all in one day. She thrust herself in the way of the Shinigami's blade, letting it take her soul in place of Minato-sama's. H-he tried to stop it... but the process could not be reversed. Kushina fell, and the remnants of the Demon's soul were sealed in Naruto."

Iruka was crying.

A hand was clasped over his mouth as tears spilled from disbelieving brown eyes. Shuddering, the teacher forced back his sobs, ducking his head away from the Hatake's relentless staring. It was a few minutes longer before he could wipe the last of the tears from his cheeks, burying his sadness into his heart. "I-i thought... W-we were told it was an aneurysm," the brunet swallowed sharply. "T-that would be a death less c-crueler than the one K-kushina was given..."

"W-we... we had hoped in the beginning that she might come out of it. She appeared to be only comatose, a-and Minato-sama was ever so adamant that she would wake up. I suppose it was why we let him force her body to remain after so long...," the copy-nin mumbled, speaking lightly over the lump in his own throat. "We were all hoping for a miracle of some sort."

"There's a reason in me telling you this though...," Kakashi spoke again, after another stretch of silence. Iruka looked at him fully.

"Which is that?"

"The secret of the carriers was lost the night of Naruto's birth and with it any chance of a normal childhood once that little boy had the Demon sealed inside of him. From now on, everyone will know of him as the Kyuubi Vessel, even if they are villagers of the Leaf and know beforehand that he is the son of the Yondaime. That ugly shadow will haunt that child, and I fear that things will eventually build and unleash themselves on that unsuspecting boy. He has no protection from the ignorance of the others, and he will have to fight to prove himself, because they will not simply brush off any of his faults as he gets older," the grey-haired shinobi explained.

"So you want me to be stern with him, but... caring?," Iruka asked, feeling slightly baffled and overwhelmed. "How do you expect me to do that?"

"You are a teacher, aren't you?" Kakashi shook his helm, cupping his hands on the table. "Naruto will always have us -we are his family, and he trusts us explicitly. But he needs guidance from those who aren't so wrapped up in his life as well. Someone who can be more objective when giving advice. You, Iruka, are perfect for that role. Even Sasuke is at a good position, being friends with Naruto..."

"Sasuke-kun...," the brunet sighed, remembering the child. The man pressed a hand to his forehead, looking at the other shinobi anxiously. "He doesn't know about Kyuubi no Kitsune, does he?"

"He doesn't," the Hatake answered. "The Uchihas have not shared any opinions, whether hostile or not, with their children about the Demon or Naruto. They are not nearly as ignorant or as foolish as the other villagers, nor would they want to incur the wrath of the Head House. Kushina and Mikoto had been the best of friends..."

That was even more surprising news. "But he will learn one day," Iruka said sadly. "And what will become of those two boys then...?"

"That," Kakashi sighed, "Is out of our hands."

Iruka sat, absorbing all this information before he shakily rose to his feet. The jounin watched him stand, one visible eye crinkled in confusion. "Is everything alright, Iruka?," Kakashi asked. "Why don't you sit a little longer..."

"No... no, there's no need," the brunet shook his head, smiling up at the Hatake sadly. "I should head home now, a-and think about this some more. You told me a lot, Kakashi-san... more than I'm sure I can handle all at once. But, I will bear this secret, and I won't share it with anyone other than whom it is meant for. Still, I won't impose anymore."

"You can stay if you like...," the grey-haired man said. "It is no problem."

Iruka shook his head a second time. "Oh...," the teacher mumbled, turning to the door and staring up at the ceiling. "Sasuke-kun... I said that I would take him home."

"Don't worry about it," Kakashi replied. "I'll inform his mother that he's spending the night. I don't think either of those boys will be waking before morning."

"O-okay," the Umino said. He walked down the hallway, heading for the door; the other shinobi at his heels. "Goodnight then, Kakashi-san," he added, grabbing his umbrella and looking back at the other man.

"Goodnight, Iruka," Kakashi responded. "Please, think about what I've told you. When you've come to a decision, whatever it may be, share it with me. I only want what's best for Naruto..."

The brunet glanced up the stairs, opening the door to the rain and wind still blowing outside. "I suppose we all do...," he whispered, taking that first step out into the wet night.

**C.M.D: I thought I might have redeemed myself with this long awaited update, but I think my deep hole has become a perpetual pit. And it's soooooooo angsty still . Seriously, when I started out on this story, I did not intend to bring in angst. Like, at all! But I promise, we should be getting back to the fluff again. Soon. I hope...  
And again, sorry for the long wait. I had the first half of this story written back a few months ago, but it took me forever to be able to add in the second half. All your desperate pleas for more broke my heart, promises! Anyways, I hope to have another update along before christmas, so... let's keep our fingers crossed, yeah?**


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